


Tangled (Up in You)

by mseg_21



Series: Reddie Fairytales [3]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rapunzel Fusion, Fluff, Gay, Kissing, M/M, Reddie, Reddie Fairytales
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-12 15:31:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15342870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mseg_21/pseuds/mseg_21
Summary: “Who are you?” The boy asks, warily.“Richie Tozier, at your service,” Richie says, with a bow, “And you are?”Instead of answering his question, the boy takes a couple of steps forward, coming out from the shadows and into the light.Richie gasps, “Oh. Wow.”In front of him stands a young boy, he is short and lean with beautiful big brown eyes that are staring curiously at Richie, freckles dusted across his nose and cheeks and pink lips that are pressed together in a tight line.But what truly catches Richie’s attention is the hair, his silky golden long, long hair. It reaches the floor and curls around his feet and goes around the room. Richie knows he is gaping, mouth hanging open and eyes wide behind his glasses, but he thinks his reaction is justified, he has never seen someone more beautiful than the boy in front of him.He clears his throat before he speaks. “I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say,” Richie’s lips curl into a smirk and he gazes at the boy with smoldering eyes, “Hello there, gorgeous.”[Rapunzel AU]





	Tangled (Up in You)

_“And how long has it been, since this storyline began?_  
_And I hope it never ends and goes like this forever._  
_In this world where nothing else is true,  
_ here I am, still tangled up in you.”

 

*          *          *

 

Eddie wakes up the same way as he does every day, with the sunlight shining on his face and a mouthful of his own hair. He blinks his eyes open and stretches out his arms, hitting Bill who is sleeping next to him.

Bill, his chameleon friend—his only friend, in fact—hisses and sticks his long tongue out at him.

“Good morning to you too, Bill,” Eddie mutters, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Bill pays him no mind and turns purple in order to match the bed covers in an attempt to get Eddie to ignore him and let him get more sleep.

“Bill, you do this every day.” Eddie gives him a nudge. “Wake up, we have to get our chores done before Ma returns. Today is the day. I’m asking the question and we need to make sure everything is perfect if we want her to  _even_ consider saying yes.”

Bill rolls his big eyes but changes back to his usual color— light green with a red strike in his forehead— and jumps off the bed.

Eddie does the same and changes out of his sleeping clothes to his usual long sleeve shirt with a vest thrown on top and knee-length breeches, all of them purple with a pink accent, his two favorite colors. Then he follows Bill down the stairs into the central room of the tower that he calls his home, his long blond hair dragging behind him as he walks. Not that it bothers Eddie, he’s used to it by now.

“Alright Bill, let’s get to work,” he says, hands on his hips. Bill copies his stance for a second before they both move to start on their chores.

It’s the same as every day, they make the bed, they sweep the floors, mop and shine them until they’re spotless, dust all surfaces and wash the clothes and put them away. But even after doing all of that, they are done before eight in the morning.

Eddie sighs, “What will we ever do now, Bill, it’s still hours before Ma gets back.”

Bill pretends to think it over and jumps on the window sill, motioning outside.

Eddie rolls his eyes, “You know we can’t go outside, Bill, it’s dangerous and scary.” Bill grunts and crosses his arms. “Besides it’s not so bad in here, we have fun, you and I.” Eddie ignores Bill’s scrunched up face, “Let’s go, I’m sure we can find something fun to do.”

So they read the books Eddie’s mother, Sonia, got for him the last time she went on a trip. Eddie reads out loud while Bill enacts the characters’ actions, making Eddie laugh over his dramatic expressions.

When they’re done, Eddie adds a few new drawings to his gallery—the inner walls of the tower. After eighteen years of painting on them, he is having a hard time finding room. It doesn’t matter that he can use his hair to swing from the ceiling and reach the higher spots of the tower, soon enough he will run out of space.

Afterward, Eddie and Bill occupy themselves with a series of activities they’ve been doing since Bill found his way to the tower Eddie and Sonia live in.

Eddie remembers that night as if it had happened yesterday. He remembers how surprised he was when he woke up to a loud thumping sound that broke the silence in the tower. Eddie had grabbed the closest thing to him—a frying pan—and left his room to find the source of the sound. His mother was always going off about murderers and thieves finding and hurting him and he wasn’t taking any risks.

What he had found instead was a small, wounded chameleon that had somehow managed to make its way up the tower. He had heard Eddie singing while he brushed his hair, a task that would usually take an entire night, with how incredibly long his hair was, and hoped whoever that voice belonged to could help him.  

The poor thing was bleeding from what looked like a snake bite wound. He was shaking and obviously in pain. Eddie knew he needed to help him or else he would die.

Eddie hurriedly wrapped his hair around the small animal and started singing,

_“Flower, gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine.”_

As Eddie sang, his hair began to glow, as its healing powers activated. He continued singing, louder than before,

_“Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the fate design_

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine.”_

The glowing golden light grew stronger and stronger and Eddie was relieved to see the appearance of the small animal was improving, so he sang the verses a couple more times just to be sure.

He carefully untangled the animal from his hair and smiled when he saw the wound had healed and he was looking much better, even managing to glance up and smile at Eddie.

Eddie hadn’t known if he could understand words, but he still asked the animal if he wanted to live with him in the tower. The creature nodded, or at least it seemed that way to him, and Eddie had taken his new friend upstairs and told him all about himself, his mother and his life. He decided to name him Bill after one of the heroes he had read about in a book.

They had lived together ever since.

Aside from reading, Bill and Eddie entertain themselves with knitting, cooking, sketching and candle making. Eddie is looking around trying to find something else to do when he notices a spot on the wall over the fireplace that hasn’t been painted on. With the aid of his hair, he lifts himself and Bill up to it and starts painting the only thing that has been on his mind for the last few days.

For as long as Eddie could remember, he has lived hidden away in this tower, just him, Bill and his mother. The reason? Sonia is afraid of what the world could do to Eddie. Such a cruel, selfish place, filled with people who would hurt her son and abuse of his power if they were to find out about his magic hair.

Eddie understands Sonia’s fear and he can live with not being allowed outside most of the days, after all, his mother’s fears have become his own as well, and the truth is, him and Bill are now experts in finding new ways to pass the time. But some days, specifically on his birthday, he wishes he was allowed to leave the tower.

Every day on his birthday for the past eighteen years, Eddie has sat by the window and stared at the sky, where, every year without fault, as soon as it was dark, dozens of floating lights would appear.

It is Eddie’s dream to see those flying lights up close and today he is finally going to ask his mother to let him do just that.

As he is finishing his newest painting, he hears his mother’s voice calling for him.

“Oh, Eddie bear, let down your hair!”

Eddie’s eyes widen. He turns to Bill and says, “She is here! Go, hide! It’s time!” Then he climbs down and heads for the window.

“Come on, Eddie bear, I am not getting any younger down here!” Sonia says, exasperated.

“Just a minute, Ma!” Eddie calls back as he lets down his hair and uses it to pull his mother up the tower. Once she is in front of him, he smiles brightly and hugs her, “It’s great to see you, Mother! How was your trip? Are you hungry? Can I make you some tea? Do you want a cookie?”

Sonia laughs, “Eddie bear, give your mother some space to breathe.”

Eddie lets go. “I’m sorry, Ma. I’m just happy to see you.”

“Well, I am happy to see you too, my sweet boy,” Sonia says, smoothing down Eddie’s hair, “but I am feeling a little run-down, it was an exhausting trip. Would you sing for me, dear?”

“Of course, Ma!” Eddie says and drags her to a chair, grabbing a hairbrush on the way. He sits down at her feet and starts singing, hurriedly.

“Eddie bear, slow down,” she says, using the brush on the boy’s hair. It starts to glow and she can feel the effects of its magic making her look and feel younger, stronger and more beautiful. “Why are you in such a hurry?”

Eddie turns around to face her and smiles broadly at her.

"Well, Ma, there’s a special day coming up. I see you’re confused, so I’m going to tell you. My birthday, my eighteenth birthday, is in two days, yay!” His mother gives him an unimpressed expression. “And I was thinking, since I’m turning eighteen, instead of getting me a present, you could, I mean w-what I want is, I would like to—”

“Eddie, for heaven’s sake, stop it with the mumbling, you know I can’t stand it.”

He takes a deep breath, “I want you to take me to see the floating lights.”

“Floating lights?”

“Yes, Ma, every year on my birthday, these floating lights appear in the sky and it has been my dream to see them and since I’m turning eighteen I thought you might agree,” Eddie says, hopeful.

“You want me to let you out of this tower.” Eddie nods, excitedly. “Where people might see you.” His smile starts to falter. “To see some silly lights floating in the sky that you can see perfectly from your window?”

Eddie’s voice wavers when he says, “I’ve been looking at them from my window my entire life, Mother, I want to see them in person. Just once.”

“But Eddie bear, why would you want to go outside? You know what’s out there.”

“I know, Mother, but—”

“Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, dirt and diseases, snakes, the plague!” Sonia says, “You wouldn’t survive out there, you’re so gullible, naïve, small and fragile.”

“But—”

“But, don’t you worry, my boy, your dear Mother is here to protect you, I would never let anything happen to you, because I love you and all I ever do is keep you safe,” Sonia says, cupping Eddie’s face in her hands, “You need to trust me, after all, your Mother knows best.”

And with that, she kisses Eddie’s forehead and lets go. Eddie stares at her as she walks away, disappointment written all over his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Bill looking up at him from under the chair with a pitiful expression.

His eyes move to his most recent painting and he looks at the floating lights wistfully.

“Eddie bear?” Sonia says, from the doorway.

“Yes, Mother?”

“Don’t ever ask to leave this tower again,” she says, all of the love and affection gone from her voice. When Eddie nods, she adds, “I love you, Eddie bear.”

Eddie smiles weakly, “I love you too, Ma.”

Sonia nods and leaves the room. Eddie lets himself fall to the floor, “That went well.”

Bill crawls over to him and pats his arm comfortingly.

“Maybe next year,” Eddie shrugs.

But he knows that as long as his mother is around, he will be stuck in this tower and his dream of seeing the floating lights will remain just that, a dream.

 

*          *          *

 

Richie Tozier has a split second to wonder how his life has come to this before he is forced to jump from one tower to another. He breaks into a run, careful not to fall from the roof because that would really put a damper on their plans.

He hears Hockstetter and Bowers running behind him and he sighs, if he can hear the sound of their boots hitting the roof then the guards inside the throne room probably do too. This is why Richie prefers to work alone, but as clever and resourceful as he is, not even Richie Tozier could handle this job on his own. He had found Patrick and Henry in a pub —‘The Tickling Clown’ it was called. There, he had overheard their conversation about stealing the lost prince’s crown and although the plan to carry it out was full of flaws and sure ways to get caught, the idea sparked something in Richie and he had offered to come up with a new plan, a better one, if they shared the prize with him.

While Hockstetter and Bowers do their job, removing the loose tile from the roof, Richie walks to the edge and marvels at the sight in front of him.

It reminds him of the pictures in the books his mother used to read to him when he was little. He had always wanted a castle and after this, he might be able to get one or two.

“Tozier!” Henry barks, “Get here and do your part. Or are we going to have to do all the work?”

“All the work, Bowers? I’m the reason you weren’t caught the second you entered the kingdom,” Richie says, walking back to them, “And now I’m about to be the reason you become stupidly fucking rich, so back off, gentlemen.” Richie ties the rope tightly around his waist and legs.

“You back off, Tozier, we could easily drop you and let the guards have their way with you,” Patrick says, smirking at him in a creepy way. Richie can’t wait for this to be over so he never has to see these two again, Henry is crazy, yes, but it’s Patrick who creeps Richie out the most.

“I know you’re not a genius, Hockstetter, but not even you would be  _that_ stupid.”

Patrick glowers and Richie salutes them both, before starting his descent.  

The throne room is empty, just as he knew it would be. His feet hit the floor and his eyes land on the prize, the lost prince’s crown. It was worth a lot of money and Richie figured, since the prince had been missing for almost eighteen years, it wasn’t of use to him. To Richie on the other hand, it was the ticket to the life he’d always wanted.

He wraps the crown carefully in a piece of cloth and puts it inside his satchel. He turns around and sees the portrait of the royal family hanging behind the thrones. His eyes land on the baby and he gives himself a moment to wonder where he is right now, how he looks, what happened to him. He feels bad for the Queen and the King, losing someone you love is devastating, Richie would know.

He stops that line of thought before it gets depressing and tugs on the rope so that Patrick and Henry can pull him up. Richie is light, so he is back on the roof in no time.

“Did you get it?” Henry asks.

Richie holds up the satchel and winks at them, “We are officially rich, fellas.”

They both smile at Richie and he notices that there are a few teeth missing from their mouths and grimaces.

“Alright, let’s go, the sooner we leave, the sooner we trade this crown for gold and the sooner I never have to see your ugly fucking mugs again,” Richie says, throwing the satchel over his shoulder and starting to walk the way they came.

He should have known everything was too good to be true.

They’re about to start their descent down the side of the tower when Henry slips and falls off the roof. Richie and Patrick are able to catch his arms before he drops to his imminent death, but not before he lets out a yell. The noise makes some guards look up and spot them.

“Oh shit,” Richie says, while he and Patrick struggle to pull Henry up.

“Hey! What are you lot doing up there?” One of the guards yells. Richie recognizes him from his past run-ins with the law, Captain Hanlon is his name if he recalls correctly. “Get down here!”

“I would love to, Captain, but I have other plans. How about a raincheck?” Richie shouts back.

“Tozier, I should’ve known you wouldn’t be able to stay away for long.”

“What can I say, Hanlon? You always leave me wanting more,” Richie winks.

They finally get Henry back on the roof and take off. He can hear the Captain calling after him and then, at the other guards to follow them.  _Great_ , Richie thinks,  _this just got a hell of a lot more complicated._

“Nice work, banana-heels,” Richie tells Henry as they finally get back on the floor and start running, the sound of hooves and yells following closely behind them.

Richie likes to consider himself a very athletic guy, but the truth is he is gasping for breath not long after leaving the kingdom and even though once they make it to the woods it’s easier to get more space between them and the guards, he knows it’s only a matter of time before they are caught.

“Alright, this is not working. If we want to get away, we need to split up,” Richie says, gasping for breath, “You two, head west and I’ll head east, we will shake them off and meet at the pub where we will get our money and go our separate ways forever.”

Henry eyes him warily, “And the crown?”

“I’ll take it with me, for safekeeping,” Richie shrugs.

“How do we know you’re not going to run off with it?” Patrick grumbles.

Richie gasps, “Patrick you wound me, after all we’ve been through, how could you think that?” They stare blankly at him, Richie sighs, “I give you both my word.”

“They call you ‘Trashmouth’ for a reason, your word is worth nothing.”

“Now, you’re just being mean.”

Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of neighing.

“Listen, fellas, it’s either splitting up or getting caught so you’re just going to have to trust me.”

They narrow their eyes at him, but in the end, they nod, “If this is one of your jokes, I will kill you, Tozier,” Henry says.

And Patrick adds, “And once he is done, I’ll kill you again.”

He looks so serious, Richie doesn’t know if he is joking or just stupid. They agreed to do what he needs them to though, so instead of commenting on that, he takes off.

Once his back is to them, he laughs. Bowers and Hockstetter are in for a surprise when they find out Richie has led them to a dead end and a sure way to get caught. But he can’t stop to celebrate just yet, he has to lose the soldiers that are still on his tail.

“I see you, Tozier! You won’t get away this time!” Captain Hanlon yells.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Richie mutters, while looking around for a place to hide, there is no way he is out running a horse, no matter how long his legs are.

“Faster, Stan! We can’t lose him!”

“Stan? Fuck, not that stupid horse again!” Richie groans. The only one who is more intent on catching him than Captain Hanlon, is his horse, Stan. He swears he is like a dog with a bone, Richie being the bone in this situation. There is no way he is getting away now.

Well, if he can’t outrun them, he will have to outsmart them.

 

*          *          *

 

Richie is propped up against a tree when Captain Michael Hanlon arrives, riding Stan. The horse snorts and glares at him when he sees him.

Richie grins, “Stanny, my favorite horse! It’s good to see you again.” The horse grunts at him.

“Where are the other two, Tozier?”

“They bailed on me once they figured out we weren’t getting out of this one. Fucking rude, considering it was their fault you caught us in the first place.”

“And I’m supposed to believe they let you keep the crown?”

“I can be very persuasive,” Richie shrugs, “And I have wandering hands,” he says, lifting the satchel.

Hanlon narrows his eyes, getting off from Stan, “You think handing over the crown means I’ll just let you go, Richard?”

“First of all, don’t call me that, it’s just Richie,” he says, surprisingly serious, “Second, I thought I had a better chance to get a good treatment if I turned myself in.”

Michael and Stan share a glance, both of them suspicious. The Captain starts approaching Richie, slowly, “Stay where you are, hands over your head.”

Richie does as he says while eyeing carefully as Michael approaches. As soon as he is where he wants him to be, Richie lifts up his hand and pulls on a vine. That sets his trap in motion and the next thing the Captain knows, he is hanging upside down, a vine wrapped tight around his ankles. Stan hurries over and starts chewing on the vine in an attempt to free his rider.

“Richie Tozier,” Michael says, slowly, “put me down or you can forget about ever seeing the outside of a cell ever again.”

Richie chuckles, holding his hands up in a defensive manner while backing away, “Sorry, Mikey, it’s not personal, but I can’t do that. I’m sure Stan will be able to get you down.”

“Tozier—”

“Great catching up with you, I’ll see you around, goodbye!” Richie says, hurriedly as he turns around and takes off running for the second time that day.

“Damn it! Leave it, Stan, go get him!” The Captain orders his horse. Then he hears hooves hitting the ground and an angry whine.

“Fuck, I should have used the trap on the horse!” Richie mumbles.

Luckily, this time as he looks around he spots what looks like a cave with vines hanging on its entrance. He knows that if he sees it, then Stan might too but he is too tired of running and all out of ideas.

He crawls inside and holds his breath. He hears Stan closing in, stopping right in front of the cave and sniffing around. But then, something else catches the horse’s attention and he walks away. Richie sighs relieved.

Now that he is not afraid of being caught, Richie notices the cave is too illuminated to be normal.

He crawls to where the light is coming from and finds this is no cave at all but a tunnel that opens to a clearing.

Richie gasps, “What the—”

In the middle of the clearing, he sees a tower and coming from it, he hears a singing voice. A beautiful, singing voice.

Richie approaches the tower and looks for a door, finding none. Under the pretense of needing a place to hide and definitely not because he wants to see the face behind the voice, he decides to climb up.

It takes a lot of work but in the end, he makes it to the top and peeks inside through the window, hoping to find the inhabitant of this solitary tower but there is no one there. He is able to make out the words of the song, though, and to realize it is a boy’s voice he hears.

_“And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'_

_And wonderin' and wonderin'_

_When will my life begin?_

_Tomorrow night, lights will appear_

_Just like they do on my birthday each year._

_What is it like out there where they glow?_

_Now that I'm older,_

_Mother might just let me go”_

The singing stops and he hears the boy speak, “Too bad she already shut that idea down, right Bill?”

Richie doesn’t hear anyone answer but it might be that he is just out of earshot. He climbs up the window and lands clumsily on his feet.

He straightens up and looks around, frowning at what he sees. There is hair... everywhere. Foot after foot of blond hair lying around. Richie can’t see where it ends nor where it starts. He didn’t know hair could be this long.

Richie is officially curious.

He clears his throat, “Hello? Is anyone here?”

Complete silence. He takes a couple more steps.

“I’m sorry for barging in. I just— I heard someone sing and I thought I’d come here to tell you, you have a beautiful voice.”

Richie can hear whispers coming from somewhere in the tower but he can’t make out the words.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise. I’m pretty harmless, emphasize on pretty,” Richie chuckles, but when there is no answer, he sighs. “Fine, I guess I’ll just—”

“How did you find me?” A voice whispers and Richie turns around to see someone lurking in the shadows.

“Oh, I was running away from— well, I was in a bit of a situation, came across your tower, heard you singing, thought I’d say ‘Hi’.”

“Who are you?” The boy asks, warily.

“Richie Tozier, at your service,” Richie says, with a bow, “And you are?”

Instead of answering his question, the boy takes a couple of steps forward, coming out from the shadows and into the light.

Richie gasps, “ _Oh_. Wow.”

In front of him stands a young boy, he is short and lean with beautiful big brown eyes that are staring curiously at Richie, freckles dusted across his nose and cheeks and pink lips that are pressed together in a tight line.

But what truly catches Richie’s attention is the hair, his silky golden long, long hair. It reaches the floor and curls around his feet and goes around the room. Richie knows he is gaping, mouth hanging open and eyes wide behind his glasses, but he thinks his reaction is justified, he has never seen someone more beautiful than the boy in front of him.

He clears his throat before he speaks. “I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say,” Richie’s lips curl into a smirk and he gazes at the boy with smoldering eyes, “Hello there,  _gorgeous_.”

 

*          *          *

 

Eddie is torn between wishing his mother was here and thanking the heavens she went away for the rest of the day. He has never felt more scared than when he heard a man’s voice from inside the tower, but now that he is looking at him, he finds that he is more curious than he is afraid.

But he is not an idiot, which is why he is holding a frying pan behind his back as he approaches the stranger. Well, now that he has introduced himself, Eddie guesses he can refer to him as Richie.

This man, Richie, is the first person, besides his mother, he has ever seen. He doesn’t know if that’s the reason why he finds him so stunning or if it has more to do with his dark messy curls, his warm brown eyes, magnified by a pair of lenses or the grin he’s sending Eddie’s way. He doesn’t look like one of the ruffians his mother always said would come looking for him, but only earlier today, she was accusing him of being naive and gullible and he isn’t about to prove her right.

“I’m Eddie,” he says, quietly.

“What was that, beautiful?”

Eddie blushes, “My name is Eddie.”

“Well, Eddie, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Richie says, taking a step forward, Eddie instinctively takes a step back. “There’s no need for that, I won’t hurt you.”

“There’s no way for me to know that.”

“I would never hurt a precious thing like you,” Richie winks. Eddie sees him adjust the bag that’s hanging from his shoulder and something sparkle inside of it.

Richie must notice him eyeing the bag because he tries to subtly place it behind him, Eddie’s curiosity is officially peaked.

“What’s inside the bag?” Eddie asks.

“This, my dear Eddie, isn’t a bag, it’s a satchel. And as for what’s inside, it’s nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about.”

“If you want me to trust you, I’m going to need you to tell me the truth, Richie Tozier. What’s in the bag?” Eddie says, in the most threatening way he can manage.

“I—I’m afraid I can’t tell you.”

Eddie glares, “Then I will have to find out. BILL!”

Richie glances around confused, expecting to find someone else in the tower, but what he sees is a flash of green and the next thing he knows, his satchel is gone.

“What on earth—” He turns to face Eddie, only to find him holding the satchel in his hands, “How did you—” Then he notices something on the boy’s shoulders, a small, green animal, that is…smirking at him? Richie must have spent to much time running in the sun because he is sure he is seeing things.

Eddie smiles at Richie’s confusion and he points at his animal friend, “Richie Tozier, meet Bill. Bill meet Richie.”

“Is that…a frog?”

And this time, Richie is sure the animal downright glares at him.

“A chameleon. And my best friend,” Eddie explains.

Richie raises a skeptical eyebrow. “Your best friend is a lizard.”

“A chameleon.”

“Right, because that makes it less weird,” Richie says sarcastically. Instead of answering, Eddie opens the satchel, “Oh no, don’t do that, don’t—And he did it.”

Eddie pulls the crown out and stares curiously at it, “Why do you have this?”

“Uh, it’s mine.”

Eddie snorts, “I don’t believe you. This is a crown and  _you_ are no prince.”

“I am offended by that, Eds,” Richie gasps.

Eddie ignores him. “If this isn’t yours, then that would mean you’re a thief  _and_ a liar.” He frowns at Richie and points the frying pan at him, menacingly. “What else have you lied about, Richie Tozier? If that even is your name.”

“Woah, easy there, beautiful, no need for that.” Richie holds his hands up in defense, “And that  _is_ my name.”

“Who else knows you are here? Are you here for my hair? What do you want to do with it?”

“No one knows I’m here, and as fascinating as your hair is, Eds, I want nothing to do with it.” Richie moves closer to him, but Eddie lifts the frying pan to keep him at bay, “Just give me my bag and my crown and I’ll be on my way.”

“I can’t let you leave.”

Richie frowns, “What—what do you mean you can’t let me leave?”

“You will tell others where to find me and I can’t have that.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Richie snorts, “Kill me with a fucking frying pan?”

Eddie and Bill exchange a conspirational glance and Richie has a split second to react before Eddie is throwing himself at him with the pan. He takes a couple of steps back but trips on a chunk of hair, then Eddie is hitting him in the head and Richie’s entire world goes black.

“Oh no, oh no. No, no, no, no,” Eddie mumbles, frantically, “did I kill him? Is he dead? Bill, did I kill someone?”

Bill approaches Richie’s motionless body and places his hand on the side of his neck. He shakes his head at Eddie.

Eddie’s eyes widen, “No? No, what? No, he isn’t alive or no, I didn’t kill him?”

Bill points at Richie’s chest and Eddie sees that he is breathing, he exhales in relief.

Now that he knows he isn’t a murderer, he feels proud of what he just did.

“And Ma thinks I can’t take care of myself,” Eddie says, smiling smugly at Bill. The animal rolls his eyes at him. “What are we supposed to do with him now, he could be a murderer for all we know.”

Bill doesn’t seem convinced by that.

“Should we tell Mother? She is always saying she knows best, she will know what to do with him.”

Bill shakes his head and jumps on top of the fireplace, pointing at Eddie’s painting.

“The floating lights? What about them?” Eddie asks, confused.

Exasperated, Bill points at the painting and then at Richie, willing Eddie to understand.

“You want Richie to take me to see the floating lights? But how will I convince him?”

Bill points at the satchel on the floor behind Eddie.

“The crown?  _Oh_ , the crown!” He gasps, “That’s genius, Bill. We only need to get Mother to leave for a few days and I know just how to do that,” Eddie smiles and so does Bill.

“But first, I need your help hiding him and this,” The boy says, holding up the satchel.

 

*          *          *

 

It takes time and a whole lot of maneuvering to fit Richie in the closet. Eddie had just closed the door when he hears his mother’s voice calling out for him to let down his hair.

“Quick! Hide this!” Eddie tells Bill, handing him the satchel and the crown so that he can hide them under a loose stair.

He hurries to pull his mother up and tries to act as if nothing happened in the time between his mother leaving and her coming back.

“Why do you always take so long, Eddie bear?” She asks, “What could you possibly be doing that is more important than your mother?”

“Nothing, Ma, I was just uh, eating.”

Sonia hums, looking at Eddie in a considering manner, “You should lay off food a bit, you’re starting to gain weight.”

She pats his cheek and goes to unpack the things she’s brought, Eddie sighs and sets his plan in motion.

“Listen, Mother, I’ve been thinking—”

“Don’t strain yourself, dear,” Sonia chuckles.

“You remember we talked about my birthday and what I want for a present.”

“Oh, Eddie, not this again. I told you, no floating lights for you this year, or ever,” Sonia says, exasperated.

Eddie hides his disappointment behind a tight smile, “And I agree with you, Ma, which is why I thought you could get me something else. I was thinking more of that beautiful fabric you brought me months ago, I’ve been working on a new dress for you and I need more of it.”

“But Eddie bear, that is a long trip, what will you do for three days here, all by yourself?”

“Wait for you to come back,” Eddie says, innocently. “I thought it was better than the floating lights.”

His mother seems to consider it and Eddie waits anxiously for her to speak. He can see Bill looking at her expectantly as well.

Sonia sighs, “Fine, I guess I could make this trip for you, sweetheart.”

“Thank you so much, Mother,” Eddie says, and hugs her.

It takes less than half an hour for his mother to get ready, but for Eddie, it feels three times that. By the time he is done lowering her from the tower and waving at her fading figure, Eddie is practically bouncing on his feet.

Once his mother is gone, he goes to the closet and opens the door. A still unconscious Richie falls at his feet. Using his hair, Eddie drags him to the center of the room and sits him on a chair, then ties him up with his hair.

“Okay, Bill, wake him up.”

With a smirk, Bill does just that, by sticking his tongue inside Richie’s ear.

Richie startles immediately, he looks around confused and his eyes land on the animal on his shoulder, “That’s so fucking gross! Get off me, lizard.” Richie tries to shake him off but with his body wrapped in Eddie’s hair, it’s kind of difficult.

“I must have hit you really hard, I told you he was a chameleon,” Eddie tells him flatly.

“Disgusting is what he is, shoo!” Bill jumps off of him and goes to sit on Eddie’s shoulder, “What is going on? Why am I tied to a freaking chair and where is my satchel?”

“What’s going on is I am offering you a deal and you,” Eddie smiles, mischievously, “are going to say yes.”

Richie smirks, “I like where this is going, although I have to say, for the first time, this is a bit risqué, beautiful.” He waggles his eyebrows, ridiculously.

“A first time for what?” Eddie asks, clearly confused.

“Oh, my sweet innocent Eddie.”

“I’m not your sweet anything. Now, as for the deal, if you take me to see the floating lights, I’ll give you your satchel and your stolen crown back.”

“Go back a second, floating lights?” Now is Richie’s turn to be confused.

“Yes, every year, on the same day I see these floating lights appear at night and it’s always been my dream to see them.”

“Oh, you mean the lanterns for the lost prince?”

Eddie furrows his brows, “Lanterns? Lanterns, yes!”

“You see I would love to take you there, but me and the kingdom are  _not_ on good terms right now.”

“Because of the stolen crown?”

“That and a very interesting encounter with the Captain of the Royal Guard and his horse.”

Eddie snorts, “That is your problem, not mine. If you want your crown back, you will take me to see the lanterns, it’s simple like that.”

Richie sighs. “Very well, beautiful. I’ll take you to see these lanterns of yours,” he says, “I have to warn you though, I can be quite irresistible, so try not to fall in love with me.” Richie winks at Eddie, who snorts at him.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.”

“We’ll see. Now, if you would please, untie me, I can’t feel my legs,” Richie pleads.

“Before I do that, let me tell you, Richie Tozier, I am trusting you—”

“I would advise against that, the last two people who trusted me, are now on their way to prison,” Richie interrupts, but Eddie chooses to ignore him.

“—I am trusting you, so do not let me down or you will never see that crown again,” Eddie finishes, “Do I have your word?”

“Fine, Eds, you have my word,” Richie says, defeated.

“Yes!” Eddie squeals in excitement, something Richie finds absolutely adorable. Almost immediately, his nose scrunches up and he adds, “Do not call me that.”

Then he proceeds to untie Richie and prepare himself for the biggest, albeit the first adventure of his life.

 

*          *          *

 

While Eddie is getting ready, Richie looks around the tower. He can see Bill watching him from the top of the stairs, so he tries to keep his search for the crown as subtle as possible. He has no luck finding it though. Richie guesses he could leave now, Eddie’s reptilian sidekick wouldn’t be able to stop him, but that would mean leaving without the crown and after all the trouble he went through to get it, he isn’t ready to give it up just yet.

Besides, a road trip with a beautiful boy doesn’t sound so bad and he managed to escape the guard once, surely he can do it again.

“So Eddie, you and Billy live here alone?”

He hears some shuffling and then Eddie’s voice answering his question, “No, my mother lives here too.”

“Where is she now?”

“Away, on a trip.”

“Why didn’t she take you to see the lanterns herself?” Richie asks, curious.

Eddie sighs, “For the same reason she has kept me hidden in this tower for eighteen years, she is afraid of what could happen to me if I go outside.”

 _Eighteen years inside a tower with only a reptile for a friend definitely explains Eddie’s peculiarities_ , Richie thinks.

“And she agreed to have little old me take you instead?” Richie chuckles and when he gets no answer, he smirks, “Unless, she didn’t agree and you’re doing this behind her back.”

Eddie exits his room and looks down at him from the top of the stairs, he looks ashamed.

“Oh, Eds, you rebel,” Richie snickers and Eddie glares at him.

“Shut up, Richie.”

“No judgment from me, beautiful.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, but he can’t help but blush. “Do you flirt with all the people you meet?”

“Only with the cute ones,” Richie says with a wink. Bill pretends to gag from the stairs’ banister.

Eddie walks down the stairs and he is wearing an exact copy of the clothes he was wearing before, only now he has a small leather belt bag around his waist and purple slippers.

Richie can’t handle the cuteness.

When Eddie joins him, he notices that he’s tugging nervously at a strand of hair on the back of his neck and he seems to have lost his confidence.

“We don’t have to do this,” Richie tells him, not unkindly.

Eddie scoffs, “Wouldn’t you like that?”

“I’m just saying, are you sure you want to?”

“More than anything in the world. I just— I’ve never been outside before, I’m scared,” Eddie says, with a small voice.

Richie smiles sympathetically. “Want to hear something that my mother used to say to me?” he asks and Eddie nods. “She would say, ‘Richard, being scared only means you’re going to do something really fucking brave’.” Eddie raises an eyebrow at him and Richie shrugs. “Okay I might have changed the words, but the point is, following your dreams is brave, Eds and it’s okay to be nervous.”

“Your mother sounds like a very wise woman.”

Richie’s smile turns sad and he says, “She was.” Before Eddie can ask what he means, Richie adds, “So, are you ready to be brave?”

Eddie nods and walks to the window with his newfound determination. Richie watches as he throws his hair over a lantern holder and with his frying pan hanging from his belt bag and Bill on his shoulder, he steps over the edge of the windowsill and lowers himself to the ground.

Richie looks down to see Eddie kneeling as he cautiously touches the grass with one hand. From up here, he can’t see his expression but he guesses it’s one full of amazement. With a smile on his face, Richie starts his descent.

By the time he meets Eddie on the ground, he is laughing giddily as he rolls on the grass.

“This is amazing!”

Richie snorts, looking down at him, “You think the grass is amazing?”

“Not just the grass,” Eddie says, going on his hands and knees before crawling away, “The dirt, the flowers,” he stops next to the stream, “The water,” he dunks his hands in it and giggles, “Everything is amazing.”

Richie crosses his arms and stares at the boy in amusement, he is watching the fish swim, mouth gaping open. He also sees Bill, sitting next to Eddie and smiling at him.

Neither of them seems too keen on moving.

“We should get going if we want to make it in time to see the lanterns.”

At the mention of the lanterns, Eddie gasps and stands up. He grabs Richie’s hand and takes off running, Bill in tow, and his hair flying behind them. They go through the cave and emerge in the forest, where Eddie’s focus is lost again. He lets go of Richie’s hand and stares around in amazement.

“Are you going to do this the entire trip?” Richie asks, not angry but somewhat exasperated.

Eddie ignores him. Eventually, he manages to get Eddie back on track and they start walking, Richie leading the way.

Eddie’s giddiness and excitement never disappear but the farther away they get from the tower, the more Richie sees him tense up. His grip on the frying pan is so tight it turns his knuckles white and he keeps glancing around nervously. When all of a sudden a flock of birds takes off from where they were resting on a tree, Eddie startles and jumps into Richie’s arms, holding the pan menacingly towards the source of the sound.

Only Richie’s fast reflexes keep Eddie from falling to the ground when he jumps on him.

“Not that I don’t like having a cute boy in my arms, but what the hell, Eddie?”

The boy blushes and climbs down, “Sorry.”

“What is going on?”

“Nothing, nothing is going on,” Eddie says with a nervous laugh, Richie stares at him, unimpressed. He sighs, “I thought I could ignore all of what my Mother has told me about the world, but her voice is inside my head, reminding me of snakes and diseases and ruffians and I can’t not listen to it.”

“You can’t go around being afraid of everything, Eds.”

Eddie groans, “I’ve spent the last eighteen years of my life listening to her say the exact opposite, it’s not that easy.”

“Fair enough,” Richie says, “but if I were you I wouldn’t worry too much about danger.”

“Why? Because you will protect me?” Eddie snorts, “I am not a damsel in distress.”

Richie chuckles, “I never said you were. I was going to say, you can clearly take care of yourself.” Eddie smiles, proud, “My head’s still ringing from that hit you gave me.”

Eddie cringes, “I’m sorry about that, Richie.”

“It’s okay,” He shrugs, “My loud mouth has earned me quite a few hits to the head over the years.”

Eddie lets out a giggle, “And yet you haven’t learned to keep it shut.”

“It’s part of my charm. That and my insanely good looks,” Richie says, with a leer.

Eddie scoffs, “Oh, I’m sure,” he says, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’ll have you know, I’m a hit with the ladies and a few gentlemen as well.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Eddie laughs and Richie joins in. Neither of them notices Bill rolling his eyes at their banter or the sound of hooves in the distance.

 

*          *          *

 

After walking for a while Eddie grows tired of his hair getting stuck on branches and dragging on the floor behind him, so him and Richie scoop it up and carry it as they walk. Every once in a while, Eddie will stop and look around at something new that catches his attention and Richie will have to drag him away with an amused smile.

Richie blames it on Eddie’s adorable excited face that he didn’t notice the stomping and the voices until it was almost too late. Richie’s fast reflexes allowed him to rush Eddie and himself behind some bushes before Captain Hanlon and Stan emerge from the trees.

“What are you—” Eddie starts but Richie clamps a hand over his mouth to silence him. They manage to collect all of his hair before either of them can see it, Richie’s eyes are wild behind his lenses and he looks legitimately worried. Eddie sends him a questioning glance and Richie shushes him.

Through the bushes, he sees Stan sniffing around like some bloodhound.

“Fucking hell,” Richie mutters.

“Who are they?” Eddie whispers right into Richie’s ear.

Richie grimaces, “Remember the incident I mentioned? With the Captain and his horse?” Eddie nods, “That’s them. I didn’t think they would still be around, shit.”

“They can’t catch us,” Eddie says, appalled,  “if they do, I won’t see the lanterns.”

“More importantly, if they catch us, I end up in prison.”

“Well, you did steal the crown.”

Richie huffs, offended, “That’s  _so_ not the point, I—” He is interrupted by the sound of Stan snorting and Mike’s voice.

“What is it, Stan? You have something?”

Stan neighs and turns to face the bushes behind which Eddie, Richie, and Bill are hiding.

Richie instinctively flinches and the bushes shake with the movement, catching both Mike and Stan’s attention.

“Fuck!” Richie mutters, panic starting to seep in. He could take off, try to outrun them but he can’t just leave Eddie and his hair would definitely slow them down.

“Alright, boy, we are not losing him this time. Nice and steady, Stan, nice and steady,” the Captain says, and Stan approaches slowly and quietly.

“Rich—” Eddie is looking anxiously at him as if expecting him to come up with something, but his mind is blank. Then his eyes land on Bill, who is clinging to Eddie’s shoulders and he gets an idea.

Richie’s finger goes to his lips and next thing Eddie knows, he is grabbing Bill and shoving him out of the bush, right in front of Stan and Michael.

Eddie makes to grab him but Richie stops him, shaking his head at him, “Trust me on this,” he whispers.

They see Stan and Mike’s disappointment, the Captain sighs, “It’s just a lizard,” he says and Richie has to fight the urge to snort. He pulls on Stan’s reins, “Let’s go, Stan, we have to keep searching.”

Even after they’re out of sight, Richie and Eddie wait for a while before coming out. When they do, they see Bill is frozen on the spot, his color matching the leaves on the floor around him, the poor animal looks terrified.

Richie kneels in front of him, “I’m sorry, Billy. It was either you or us and they weren’t going to take you to prison.”

Bill glares at him and sticks his impressively long tongue in Richie’s face, specifically his nose.

Richie shrieks and tries to back away, landing on his butt and wiping his face, “Fuck! So disgusting, yuck!”

Eddie laughs at him, and Bill smirks before climbing on his shoulder.

Once he is sure all the lizard’s spit is off his face, Richie sighs, “They won’t stop looking for me.”

Eddie sits on the floor in front of Richie, “You’re not backing out from our agreement.”

“Well, we won’t make it in time if we have to stop every five seconds to hide,” Richie says, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Wait, I have an idea.”

Richie stands up and starts gathering Eddie’s hair. “What are you doing?” Eddie asks, confused.

“Let’s go, I have a friend who might help us.”

“Is your friend a thief too?”

“Not a thief but she has had her own run-ins with the law and she knows her way around the kingdom.”

Eddie narrows his eyes at him, intrigued. “Alright then, let’s go see this friend of yours. What’s her name?”

Richie smiles at Eddie, “Beverly.”

 

*          *          *

 

“‘The Tickling Clown’? I thought we were going to see your friend.”

“We are,” Richie says, “She runs this place, Eds. Now, please don’t freak out.”

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie says instinctively. Then he frowns. “And don’t say ‘don’t freak out’, the first thing I’m going to do is freak out, Richie.”

“It’s just— all the ruffians and criminals your mom told you about?”

“The ones you told me I shouldn’t worry about?” Eddie says anxiously.

Richie cringes, “Yeah, they uh— they like to hang out here.”

“A tavern filled with thugs and criminals and who knows what else and you tell me I shouldn’t freak out? If my Mother found out, she would—”

“Lock you up in a tower for the rest of your life?” Richie snickers. Eddie swats him on the arm, but he reluctantly laughs.

“Is this the only way?”

“To get through the woods without being caught? I’m afraid so, beautiful.”

Eddie sighs, “Well then, lead the way.”

Richie smiles and starts walking, Eddie goes to follow him when he feels something tugging at his hair, he turns around and sees Bill on the floor, glaring at him.

“What?” Eddie whispers. Bill points at the pub and mimics his throat being slit and him dying on the floor, he sighs, “They won’t kill me, Bill.” His friend then pretends to cut Eddie’s hair, “or cut my hair, Richie will be there, and I know he is a thief but he won’t let anything happen to me, to us, besides I have this,” Eddie holds up his frying pan, “And I think I’ve proven I’m really good with it.” He adds, twirling the pan in his fingers and hitting himself on the head with it.

Bill narrows his big eyes at him unamused.

“Shut up,” Eddie mutters, rubbing the spot where he hit his head.

“Are you coming, Eds?” Richie calls out.

“Yes, yes, I am,” Eddie says and picks up Bill before following Richie inside.

 

*          *          *

 

The moment they walk through the door, all eyes are on them. The place is dark but that doesn’t keep Eddie from being able to see the people inside and what he sees has him fighting the need to run back outside.

There’s a man with an eye patch that’s not big enough to cover the huge scar on his face, another one has a snarl on his face and he is missing several teeth, there is also a woman who’s arms are covered in scars and tattoos and the man closest to them is playing with a butcher knife in his hands, there are dark stains in it that look suspiciously like blood.

Unconsciously, Eddie steps behind Richie, whose eyes are currently roaming the place, looking for someone.

“Ah! There she is!” Richie exclaims, completely unbothered by the appearance of those around him. In one hand, he carries Eddie’s hair and in the other, he holds the boy’s hand dragging him towards the bar. “Bev, darlin’!”

The woman behind the counter turns around and glares at Richie. She is beautiful in a dangerous way with her fiery red hair, her vibrant blue eyes and the dragon tattoo that extends from her hand all the way to the side of her neck.

“You’re fucking late, Tozier,” she tells Richie, lips pressed in a tight line.

“I know, I’m sorry. You will  _not_ believe the days I’ve had.”

“Where’s the crown?” Beverly says, crossing her arms.

Richie chuckles, nervously, “You see, Bev, that is a very funny story.”

She rolls her eyes, “You lost it.”

“Not exactly, I just don’t have with me at the moment.”

Beverly sighs, exasperated, “You were supposed to bring the crown to me, I already have a buyer waiting for it. And the gold for you and those idiots, Patrick and Henry,” she frowns and looks around, “Where are they?”

“Probably rotting in a cell at the moment,” Richie shrugs.

“Please tell me they didn’t have the crown,” Beverly says, pinching her nose.

“They didn’t.”

“Then who fucking does?”

“I do,” Eddie says, stepping from behind Richie and into Beverly’s line of view. Her angry eyes turn curious when they land on him.

“Who’s this?”

“This is Eddie,” Richie says, “and he is holding me hostage.”

Bev stares at him, torn between confusion and exasperation.  

“I—you two, come with me,” She says, and heads towards a door in the back of the pub. “Strangler, watch the bar, yes?”

Eddie sees a big man, sitting at the end of the bar, nod at her. “Did she say Strangler? As in, strangler of people?” he whispers to Richie, while they follow Beverly.

“He’s actually a nice man, he has a great singing voice,” Richie shrugs.

“Oh, because who cares that he strangles people as long as he sings to them while they die,” Eddie says, sarcastically.

Beverly leads them to a storage room and closes the door once the three of them are inside.

Her hands go to her hips and she looks at them, expectantly.

“Explain, please.”

And so Richie does, he explains how their plan went perfectly until Henry ruined it by alerting the guard, how he tricked him and Patrick into thinking splitting up was a good idea and led them straight into a trap, how he was able to get away from Captain Hanlon and Stan and finally what had happened with Eddie and the crown, but leaves out the part where Eddie has lived his entire life in a tower hidden in the forest.

When he is done, Beverly laughs, “You’ve definitely had an interesting couple of days.”

“And they will get even  _more_ interesting, seeing as I still have to fulfill my end of the deal for my darlin’ Eds over here—”

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie mutters, interrupting him.

Richie ignores him, “—and we need your help to do that.”

Beverly groans, “I knew it was a matter of time before you came asking for my help. That’s the only reason you ever show up around here.”

“That’s horseshit, Bev, I visit you all the time.”

She rolls her eyes, “What do you need?”

“A way to go through the forest without being seen.”

Realization dawns on Beverly and her lips curl up in a smile, “The tunnel,” she says. Richie nods.

Eddie looks between the two of them, “What are you two talking about?”

“There’s a cellar tunnel that runs underground from here, through the forest and all the way to the dam outside Corona,” Bev explains.

“That’s great, let’s go,” Eddie says, excitedly.

“Not so fast, Blondie.” Beverly puts her hands on her hips and studies Eddie. “Why should I help you? You’re blackmailing my friend  _and_ you ruined my deal with one of my best buyers.”

“Uh, because—”

But before Eddie can try and convince Beverly of helping them, someone knocks on the storage room’s door.

She opens the door and there is a man on the other side. Eddie is positive he wasn’t there when Richie and him arrived, he knows he would have noticed, mainly because he is the only person in the pub that looks like he doesn’t belong in the inside of a dungeon. He looks worried and Beverly notices.

“Ben, what’s wrong? When did you get here?”

Eddie sees Richie perk up at the name.

“Just five seconds ago,” Ben says, and he kisses Beverly with a sweetness that Eddie didn’t think he would see here. “We have a problem, Bev.”

She sighs, “Of course we do. What happened?”

“I was on my way here when I saw the Royal Guard. They were heading this way, should be here soon. They said they were looking for—”

“Me,” Richie says, coming out from behind the door, “they’re looking for me.”

Ben’s eyes widen, “Richie, Richie Tozier!”

“Hello, Soldier Hanscom,” Richie salutes him, “or is it just Ben now?”

“As thrilled as I am to see you, Richie, you need to get out of here. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said the guard would be here soon.”

“Unfortunately, us being able to leave depends on your dear Beverly.”

“Us?” Ben inquires.

Richie pulls Eddie out from where he was hiding behind the door, “Ben, meet Eddie, Eddie this is Ben.”

Eddie smiles and Ben looks at Beverly, confused.

She waves him off, “It’s a long story, I’ll fill you in later, dear. Right now, we need to get these two out of here.”

“You will help us?” Eddie asks.

Bev shrugs, “I won’t be getting my crown if Richie’s thrown into prison. I am helping myself.”

“Aw Bev, you say the sweetest things,” Richie chuckles. “Alright, beautiful, it’s time to go, your lanterns await.” He grabs Eddie’s hand in his own.

Beverly eyes their joined hands with an amused expression on her face. “Come on, you two, before the Guard gets here.”

The four of them leave the room and Beverly leads them to what Eddie guesses is the entrance of the tunnel.

Their path, however, is obstructed by three figures. One of them is the man with the eye patch and the big scar on his face, the other is the woman with the tattoos and the scars and the third is the man who had been playing with the butcher’s knife when Eddie and Richie had arrived.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The man with the scar says. Beverly seems unfazed, despite his size and his threatening expression.

“To wherever the hell I please, since this is my tavern and you are not the boss of me,” she says, looking up at the man, who is easily a foot taller than her, with a menacing expression, “Now move, unless you want me to break your hand.” Ben is staring at her, awed and proud. Eddie wonders how these two came to happen.

“I don’t want a problem with you, lady, all we want is  _him_ ,” the man says, pointing at Eddie and Richie. Eddie panics and all of his Mother’s warnings about men wanting to hurt him and use his hair fill his head, he hears Bill’s hiss from where he is clinging to his neck.

Instinctively, Richie steps in front of Eddie and glares at the man, “I understand why you would want him, but you can’t have him.”

“We don’t want  _him_ , we want you,” The man says, and now he points directly at Richie.

Richie snickers, “Me? At least buy me dinner first.”

“You really are a Trashmouth, aren’t you?” The woman says, “You thought we wouldn’t recognize you, Richie Tozier?” She holds up a poster with the word ‘WANTED’ and a drawing of Richie in it.

Richie gasps, horrified, “I know that my teeth are big but they’re not  _that_ bad.” He looks around at Eddie, Bev, and Ben. “Are they?” None of them answer the question.

“I don’t know about your teeth, but I do know the reward the Royal Guard is offering in exchange for you is huge.”

Now it’s Eddie’s turn to step in front of Richie.

The man is easily twice Eddie’s height and weight but he holds his ground and glares at him, “You can’t have him, I need him.”

He growls at Eddie and Ben intervenes, “Back off, Greno,” he says and places his hand on Greno’s chest.

“I’ve always wanted to punch you in the face, Hanscom, I did when you were a guard and I still do. Don’t give me an excuse, it’s only him we want.”

“And we’re supposed to just move aside and let you have him? I don’t fucking think so,” Beverly growls.

The woman steps in front of Beverly, “I know Greno won’t punch a woman, but I certainly will.”

Bev scoffs, “I’d like to see you try, Gretta.”

There’s four of them against only three and if they play their cards right they could get away. The problem is there are at least ten other people in the tavern and they have no idea who they would side with if a brawl were to take place.

Richie decides to take matters into his own hands, he moves Eddie to the side and steps right in front of Greno, “If you let us go, you have my word that I will pay you what the guard is offering, plus interest.”

“Your word is worth nothing,” Greno says, “You either give me the money now or say goodbye to your friends and your freedom.”

“I’d rather say goodbye to your ugly mug,” Richie says and punches the man in the face. He gets in a good punch but Greno is barely fazed by it. “Oh shit,” Richie mutters before he is being punched in the face himself.

All hell breaks loose as all the criminals in the tavern try to get to Richie. Ben and Bev fight them off but it’s only two of them against at least ten people. Eddie hits a few of them with his pan but they don’t even turn to look at him. He knows he is no match for a bunch of thugs, so he looks around for a way to help Richie and he finds it in a loose beam near the ceiling. He throws his hair around it and tugs, effectively hitting Greno in the head.

That attracts not only Greno’s attention but everyone else’s too, but Eddie is too angry and exasperated to worry about it at the moment.

“PUT HIM DOWN!” Eddie yells, gesturing wildly with his hands and the pan, “I said you can’t have him and I mean it. He is my guide and my only way to see the flying lanterns and I won’t let a bunch of greedy, uncompassionate criminals keep me from making my dream come true, a dream I’ve had for eighteen damn years!” he groans, exasperated, “Don’t you understand? Haven’t any of you ever had a dream?”

When he finishes talking, he is panting and has a wild expression on his face and everyone is looking at him.

He sees Richie giving him a toothy grin while still being held by numerous criminals. His hair is ruffled and his glasses askew and Eddie is pretty sure there is blood on his teeth but he surprises himself by thinking he looks attractive anyway. He also sees Ben looking at him shocked, while Bev seems amused. Somewhere between all the hustle, Bill ended up on the Strangler’s neck pulling at his ear and trying to keep him from strangling Richie and he is blinking at Eddie’s outburst.

The rest of the people though, they’re all glaring at Eddie and Greno is sending a murderous glance his way. He lets go of Richie’s arm and starts walking menacingly towards Eddie.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Richie struggling to free himself, he growls, “Fucking let go of me! Greno, I swear if you touch him—” Someone hits him on the side, leaving him gasping for air

Eddie takes a couple of steps back but Greno’s legs are longer than his and he is on him in a second. He grabs Eddie by the shoulders and brings him closer to his face, his breath makes Eddie scrunch up his nose in disgust. He reaches behind him for the axe strapped on his back.

Greno growls, “I—” Eddie closes his eyes, preparing for the blow, “—had a dream once.” Eddie blinks his eyes open, surprised.

“You did?” Eddie asks.

Greno lets go of him and his expression turns sad, “My name is not Greno, it’s Robert Gray and I’ve always wanted to be a clown.” Eddie’s eyes widen in shock, if as a kid he had run into this man dressed as a clown, he would have screamed and run away.  “I want to make children laugh but there was this incident with a kid once and the Royal Guard has been after me ever since. I just want to be able to make my dream come true.”

Eddie pats his arm, awkwardly and offers a smile, “It’s never too late to follow your dreams.”

Greno, or Robert Gray, gives Eddie a big smile, teeth yellow and rotten. He forces his expression to stay neutral and not turn disgusted.

He can see the other criminals looking at him, no longer with murderous expressions but thoughtful and nostalgic, even Gretta and the man with the butcher's knife. Bev and Ben are staring at them, confused as to why they all stopped fighting for Richie.

Richie is equally confused but he is also amused, he snorts loudly when he hears Greno’s story.

The man turns on Richie and walks back towards him, “Are you laughing at my dream?”

Richie offers a goofy smile, “Of course not, it’s a brilliant plan, Bob. Clown makeup will make a great fucking job at hiding that scar.”

“You think you’re so funny, Tozier. What about you? What’s  _your_ dream?” Robert says, brows furrowing.

Richie shrugs, “Mine is pretty simple, I want a castle, somewhere sunny and warm and where I am surrounded by piles and piles of money.”

His response is met with a series of snorts and eye rolls, and a high five from Beverly.

Before anyone can say anything though, Ben looks out the window and gasps. “Uh, I hate to interrupt this moment but the Royal Guard is here.”

Eddie’s eyes widen, “No, no, no, we’re doomed, my plans are doomed.”

“We’ll hold them off for you, sunshine, don’t worry,” Gretta says.

“You will?” Eddie and Bev ask at the same time.

Greno points at Eddie, “For you and your dream, we will.”

Richie, who is standing next to him, grins, “Wow, for a bad guy, you’re not that bad, Bob.”

Greno glares at him, “I’m not doing this for you, Tozier. Your dream is stupid.”

There’s a loud banging on the door, Bev hurries them to the back of the tavern, “We need to get you out of here.”

Eddie turns to look at the criminals and thugs who turned out to be more helpful than his Mother in pursuing his dream. He smiles at them, “Thank you, for this.”

“Go live your dream, kid, for all of us who can’t.”

When he joins them, Richie and Beverly are moving a table and lifting the carpet under it. Eddie sees the opening to a tunnel.

“Alright, down you go,” Bev says.

“Thank you, Bev.”

“You owe me for this, Tozier,” she says, but she is smiling.

Richie lowers himself into the hole on the ground and holds up his hands, “Alright gorgeous, come here.”

Eddie picks up Bill and approaches the edge of the hole, “Thank you, Beverly, you’re tough but you have a good heart.”

“I should beat you up for saying that, but I like you, Blondie. Now go.”

Richie helps Eddie down and Beverly covers the hole with the carpet just as the men from the Royal Guard throw the door down and barge in.

Richie and Eddie aren’t able to hear what’s being said over them. They just hear a lot of yelling and things being thrown around.

“Do you think they will be fine? Bev and Ben and the others?” Eddie asks, worried.

“Aw Eds, are you worried about a bunch of criminals now?”

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie frowns, “and those criminals are the reason I’ll be able to see the lanterns, so yeah, I’m worried about them.”

“Don’t be, they’re tough, they can take care of themselves,” Richie shrugs, “We better move, Eds.”

Eddie nods and they start walking through the tunnel, there are torches hanging on the wall, allowing them to see where they’re stepping but not much else.

They walk without talking and the silence allows Eddie to think about all that has happened that day and there is something, in particular, he feels really curious about.

“Richie?” he asks, and when the man hums in return, he continues, “Why did you call Ben a soldier before?”

“Because he used to be part of the Royal Guard.”

“What happened?” Eddie asks, confused.

“He met Beverly,” Richie replies. When Eddie doesn’t say anything he explains, “Soldier Hanscom was sent to arrest her but once he met her he couldn’t go through with it. They fell in love and Ben left the Guard to be with her. They’ve been together since.”

“Woah, that’s— but how could he? I mean, go from a soldier to a criminal,” Eddie wonders.

“Ben’s not a criminal, he doesn’t steal or kill, his only crime was not to lock up the woman he loves. I think it was brave, what he did and that he did it for love,” Richie shrugs.

“Would you do it?” Eddie asks, and at Richie’s questioning grunt he adds, “Would you stop stealing and running away for someone?”

Richie takes his time to think it over. “I would, if I met the right person, you know?” He says, surprisingly serious. Eddie doesn’t know what to say so he hums in agreement. He hears Richie clear his throat, before speaking again, this time with a lighthearted tone, “Why, Eds? Want to make an honest man out of me?”

Eddie snorts, “Shut up, Richie.” He goes to hit Richie’s arm but ends up hitting his side.

Richie groans in pain, “Easy, beautiful, I think someone already left a bruise there.”

It takes a while and a lot of walking, but they eventually make it to the end of the tunnel. It opens up to a ledge overlooking a quarry created below a massive dam, just like Beverly had said.

“We did it, Eds!” Richie exclaims, with a joyous laugh.

Eddie turns around to tell Richie not to call him that, but the words die in his throat when he notices the state he’s in.

“Richie, you’re bleeding!”

“Really? Where?”

Eddie gapes at him. “Everywhere! Your head, your lip, your hands! And is that— is that a bite mark?”

Richie shrugs, he seems to be noticing his state until now. He chuckles and Eddie can see blood staining his teeth as well, “You should have seen the other guy.”

“I did, they didn’t have a scratch on them,” Eddie replies, “You need to let me clean those up before they get infected or you bleed out.” Richie snorts and the boy rolls his eyes at him, “I’m serious! I can’t have you die before we get to Corona! Here, sit, I’m sure I have something in my belt bag that I can use.”

He is looking through it when Richie starts to protest, “Eddie don’t—”

“No!” Eddie snaps, “I’m doing this, Richard.”

Richie growls. “It’s Richie,” he snarls and Eddie looks up, startled by his harshness. He looks angry and Eddie doesn’t know how to react to that, so he just stares at him, wide-eyed. “And we’re not doing this here. We don’t know if someone followed us through the tunnel or if someone knows this is where it leads. We’ll find a place to spend the night and then you can do whatever the fuck you want.”

When Eddie nods, Richie simply turns around and starts walking. Eddie exchanges a nervous glance with Bill and the both of them follow Richie in silence.

By the time they make it to a safe place, the sky is dark. Without saying a word to Eddie, Richie goes to pick up some firewood, lights up a fire and sits in front of it, glaring at the flames. After a while of awkward shuffling around, Eddie sits in front of the fire as well, keeping his distance from Richie.

Neither of them speaks and the silence grows unbearable. Eddie is worried that if he breathes too loud Richie is going to snap at him. He had gotten so used to his goofy and animated personality that he doesn’t know what to do now that he is being broody and mean.

After what feels like hours, Richie finally speaks, startling Eddie and Bill, who had been asleep on his lap.

“I’m— I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

Cautious, Eddie says, “That’s okay, I was being too insistent and you were right, so.”

Richie shakes his head in frustration, Eddie sees the light from the flames reflect on his dark curls as they move, “That wasn’t—I didn’t snap at you because you were trying to help, I mean, not really.”

Eddie gently places Bill on the grass, without waking him up and he moves closer to Richie, “What was it then?”

Richie sighs, “You called me Richard.” He looks at Eddie who looks confused, “I don’t let people call me that. That’s what my mom used to call me.”

“Used to?”

“She died. My father too.”

Eddie feels as if something’s squeezing his heart. No matter how many problems he and his Mother have, Eddie still cares about her and couldn’t imagine losing her. “I’m really sorry, Rich.”

Richie gives him a weak smile, “Thank you, Eds, it doesn’t hurt that bad anymore. After all, it was a long time ago, but being called Richard—it reminds me of her and more than that, of how disappointed she would be if she saw what I’ve become.”

Eddie doesn’t know if its the light playing tricks on him but he is pretty sure he can see tears welling up on Richie’s eyes, he takes his hand in both of his. “She wouldn’t be disappointed in you, Richie.”

He scoffs and shakes his head disbelievingly, “I’m a fucking criminal, Eds. I steal and I lie and I cheat and—I doubt she would be proud of me.”

“There are still reasons for her to be proud,” Eddie says, and when Richie rolls his eyes, he continues, “There are! You’re brave and you’re smart and you’re caring, you’re a good person, Richie, you are, you have protected me and you’re helping me do this!”

Richie snorts, “It’s not like you gave me a choice.”

Now it’s Eddie’s turn to roll his eyes, “If you wanted to get rid of me and go back to search for the crown or just take off, you could’ve done it. I’m strong but I’m no match for you. But you didn’t do it, you’re honoring your promise, and that’s definitely something your mother would be proud of.”

“Thank you, Eddie,” Richie says, and his voice cracks with emotion. He clears his throat and as he usually does, cracks a joke to lighten the mood, “You can’t tell anyone about this, though, it could ruin my entire reputation.”

Eddie chuckles, “Ah, we definitely don’t want that.”

“Of course not, what is a man without his reputation?”

They laugh together until Richie winces and groans in pain, laughter dying in his throat. It makes Eddie remember that he is injured and that he is supposed to be taking care of him.

“Will you let me check those wounds now?” Eddie asks and Richie nods. He is about to look through his leather bag for the stuff he needs when he realizes he has something even better. He can hear his Mother’s voice inside his head telling him it’s a bad idea to show Richie but he trusts him enough to tell him about his mother, not to mention he got hurt because of him, healing Richie is the least Eddie can do.

He takes a deep breath. “I’m going to show you something and you have to promise me you won’t freak out or tell anyone about it.”

Richie eyes him, cautiously, “Okaaay…what is it?”

“Do you trust me?”

“I—” Richie sighs, “Surprisingly, I do.”

Eddie smiles and starts wrapping his hair around Richie, he stares at him with a mixture of amusement and apprehension on his face but doesn’t say anything. Once Eddie is done, he looks at Richie one last time, uncertain, and then closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and starts singing.

“Eds, what are you—” But whatever Richie was about to say gets cut off by a gasp as Eddie’s hair starts to glow. His eyes grow comically wide as they follow the glow as it spreads on the boy’s hair. “Holy fucking shit,” he mutters.

Eddie pays him no mind as he concentrates on his singing. The glow finally reaches the hair that it’s wrapped around Richie and he can feel something’s happening, even though he doesn’t know what the hell it is.

When Eddie stops singing, his hair stops shining and he opens his eyes to find Richie staring at him, confused.

“Remember what I said, don’t freak out,” Eddie says, as he unwraps the hair from around Richie.

But it’s a futile attempt because when Richie sees that there is no blood, no bruises, not even a scar, his face turns horrified. “What the fuck?” he mutters, still looking at his hands, “What did you do to me?”

“I healed you. Well, my hair did. It, uh, it does that.”

“Since when?” Richie asks, voice strained.

“Uh, since forever.”

Richie nods, he’s making a great effort not to freak out but he finds it difficult. “Is that why it’s so long?”

“It’s long because I can’t cut it. If I do, it turns brown and loses its power,” Eddie explains. He seems to consider something and then he moves some of his hair so that Richie can see a single brown strand at the back of his neck. “When I was little, I saw a picture of a boy in a book, I asked my mother why all boys had short hair and I didn’t and she said it was because I was special and that was why I had to stay in the tower, for my protection. I thought that if I cut my hair, if I was like the other boys then—” Eddie sighs, “—then I could go outside. I cut it and it immediately turned brown. I realized then that I didn’t want to give up what makes me special, not even for a chance to go outside.”

“That’s why you’ve never been outside and why you were so worried I found you.”

“Power like this must be protected, if people knew what my hair can do—”

“They would come after you,” Richie finishes and Eddie nods. Richie can tell he is worried, so he takes his hand and smiles reassuringly at him, “You don’t have to worry Eds, I won’t tell anyone.”

Eddie smiles back, “I know you won’t, surprisingly, I trust you too.”

They stay silent for a while still holding hands until Eddie yawns and Richie suggests they go to sleep. They curl up on the floor in front of the fire and close their eyes.

Eddie is almost asleep when he hears Richie say his name. He hums lazily without opening his eyes.

“Your hair is not what makes you special,” Richie whispers, sounding close to falling asleep himself, “Even without it, you would still be pretty fucking great, love.”

Eddie gasps and while he tries to figure out what to say, Richie’s breathing evens out and he falls asleep. And no matter how tired he feels, it’s hours before Eddie can do the same.

 

*          *          *

 

The next day, Richie wakes up when he feels something dripping on his face, he wipes it off and opens his eyes but all he sees it’s a white blob. He grabs his glasses and once they’re on, he’s able to see a horse looking down at him.

“Fuck Stan, you never know when to quit, do you?” Richie mutters and turns on his side, hoping to get some more sleep.

But Stan has other plans and he nudges Richie until he is sitting up. Then, he bites his shirt and starts dragging him away.

“Woah, what are you—let go of me, you stupid beast!” He frees himself and starts to crawl away only for Stan to bite his boot and start pulling again, “Damn it!”

Richie tries digging his nails on the ground to put some resistance but his lanky arms are incapable of getting a good grip.

“Eds! Eddie!” He calls out, “Help!”

He sees the boy stir and lifts his head to look around. His face is soft and creased from sleep and Richie would appreciate how adorable he looks if he wasn’t being dragged away by a horse at the moment. Eddie’s eyes land on Richie and they widen, he hurries to help him by grabbing Richie’s hands and pulling, Bill helping as well, but Stan is way too strong for the three of them.

Eddie doesn’t stop pulling though and Richie feels his boot starting to slip, so he shakes his leg and the next thing he knows, he is falling on top of Eddie and is one boot less.

In the split second they have before they hear angry snorting and hooves stomping on the ground, both of them flush at the way their bodies are pressed together and their faces are only inches apart. Eddie snaps out of it first and he scrambles out from under Richie and steps between him and the horse, arms outstretched.

Stan tries to dodge Eddie but he is fast and blocks his way. The horse huffs and glares but Eddie is determined and he is stubborn and if a tavern full of criminals wasn’t enough to stop him from making his dream come true, then neither will a horse.

Eddie feels Bill sitting on top of his head and he hopes there is some secret animal language he can use to keep the horse from stomping over him to get to Richie.

“I know you, you’re the Captain’s horse,” Eddie says, and the animal nods. He sees a plate with his name written on it. “Stan, right? You must be really good at your job if the Captain chose you.” Stan nods proudly. “And you just want to take the big bad man to prison, where he belongs, right?” Another nod. Eddie also hears Richie protest but he pays him no mind. “I’m all for that, Stan, I just need you to wait 24 hours before you arrest him.”

Stan snorts loudly, clearly in disagreement.

Eddie soothes him, “I know, I know, I’m asking a lot but today is my birthday and I need you to do that for me, please.” He bats his eyelashes and smiles sweetly at the horse hoping he will be sympathetic but he just snorts again. “All I need is one day, it would make me so happy, Stan, you have no idea,” Eddie pleads.

Stan huffs and hangs his head down but ultimately nods. Eddie squeals and hugs him.

“Wow, you really can get anyone to do whatever you want,” Richie says, amazed, “Does it have to do with your magic hair? Or is it just your precious face?”

Eddie blushes. “People are more likely to listen to you if you tell them the truth,” He shrugs, “Now, do I have your word that you will behave?” he asks both Richie and Stan.

They both huff, displeased, but in the end, they shake hand and hoof.

At that moment, Eddie hears trumpets, meaning that they’re closer to the kingdom than he thought. Excited, he takes off running. Stan trips Richie when he goes to follow Eddie and in return, Richie pulls on Stan’s golden tail. What Eddie can’t see, can’t earn them a scolding, after all.

They catch up with him as he is entering the kingdom, looking around, amazed.

Everything is so much better than what he had spent his entire life imagining. Everything is filled with color, the people are happy and loud and they smile at Eddie as he passes them by. The castle is magnificent and there are flowers and music everywhere.

Richie follows close behind, watching Eddie, a fond expression on his face. Occasionally, he has to help him free his hair from where it gets trapped on the cracks in the street or pick it up before someone trips on it.

That stops when he spots a group of five girls braiding each other’s hair.

“Hey girls,” Richie calls out, “You up for a challenge?” he asks, pointing at Eddie’s pile of hair. The girls squeal in excitement and in no time, Eddie’s hair is braided and adorned with pink and purple flowers and more importantly, not longer being dragged behind him.

They spend the day touring the kingdom and indulging in everything ‘The Festival of Lights’ has to offer. Eddie makes an amazing impression on the villagers and Richie can’t blame them for being completely enamored by him and his spirited, vibrant personality.

A few times they come across members of the Royal Guard and Richie has to hide behind Stan or a selling stand or some distracted passerby while trying not to lose sight of Eddie in the growing crowd. At one point, to prevent this, Richie grabs Eddie’s hand and then proceeds to hold on to it as they make their way through the streets. Eddie doesn’t seem to mind, instead, he slides their fingers together.

As they walk around, they hear music start to play and Eddie wastes no time in joining a group of people that are dancing along to it. Richie stays back and stares at Eddie, while he jumps and dances and laughs, completely happy and free. In Richie’s opinion, he has never looked more beautiful.

His thoughts must be written all over his face because he feels something bump into his shoulder and he turns to find Stan and Bill smirking at him.

“What the fuck is up with you two?”

Their smirks grow and they motion at Eddie and then at Richie and his dopey smile. Bill even waggles his eyebrows.

Richie scoffs and mutters under his breath, “Crazy animals,” but he can feel himself blushing at being caught staring at Eddie like that.

He doesn’t have a lot of time to dwell on that before he’s being dragged to the mass of dancing bodies by Eddie himself.

“Woah, Eds, I don’t—I don’t dance,” He says, panicked.

Eddie grabs Richie’s hands and moves them both in circles, “Neither do I,” he says with a laugh.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Eddie pulls Richie closer to him, pressing their chests together. Richie’s hand goes to Eddie’s waist and the other one holds his hand, he feels Eddie’s fingers touching the hairs on the back of his neck where his arm is thrown around his shoulders. Eddie moves them around and Richie follows, not a damn clue of what he’s doing.

“There you go, you’re dancing!” Eddie laughs.

“Oh no, beautiful, this is all you.”

Right before the music stops, someone bumps Eddie and pushes him against Richie’s chest. Their faces are inches apart and Richie’s eyes are drawn to Eddie’s lips, curled up in a big smile.

They hear people clapping and cheering around them and they break apart, blushing at their closeness. No one seems to pay them any mind, except for Bill and Stan who both have smug smiles and mischievous glints in their eyes.

Richie clears his throat. “We should get going, Eds, the lanterns will be going up soon.”

Eddie squeals in excitement, “I can’t believe this is finally happening!”

Richie leads them to the lake, where Richie rents a boat. The sun is already setting as he helps Eddie into it and then climbs in himself. Stan and Bill both huff at them from the dock and Richie sends a salute their way before rowing out onto the lake.

Richie stops rowing once they reach the center of the lake, right in front of the castle where the first lanterns will float into the sky soon.

He looks at Eddie, expecting to find the excitement that has been present the entire day on his face, instead, he finds him looking at the water with a worried expression.

Richie frowns, “Are you okay, Eds? I thought this was the best day of your life, I would’ve at least expected a smile.”

Eddie sighs and looks up, a wistful expression on his face, “I’ve been dreaming about this moment for my entire life, wondering what it would be like when these lights finally rise into the sky. What if it’s not all that I dreamed it would be?”

“It will be,” Richie assures, his eyes never leaving Eddie’s face.

Eddie chuckles, “Let’s say it is, what then? What do I do when I don’t have a dream anymore?”

“Eds dear, that’s the beauty of it,” Richie says, covering Eddie’s hand with his, where it rests on the boat’s railing, “You find a new dream,” Richie says, softly. Eddie smiles at him.

They have to wait for a while and they pass the time talking about their lives. Richie’s life is definitely more interesting and Eddie listens intently to all of his adventures, laughing when Richie feels the need to reenact his greatest hits. That doesn’t mean Richie doesn’t listen to Eddie tell him about his life in the tower.

Eddie is in the middle of telling Richie about Bill’s arrival into his life while playing with the water when he sees a light reflecting on it. Eddie’s eyes widen and he looks up to see the first of the lanterns rising up in the sky.

In his excitement, Eddie forgets that they’re in the water and almost tips them over as he stands up hurriedly and moves to the front of the boat to get a better view of the sky being illuminated with a sea of lanterns as they rise from the castle, the streets, the other boats around them. Eddie finds the view breathtaking and so much more impressive than the one from his window.

“It’s so beautiful,” Eddie whispers softly, taking it all in.  

And Richie agrees, but he is not looking up at the sky, he is not looking at the lanterns, he is looking at Eddie when he says, “Yes, it is.”

Eddie turns to look at Richie and he finds him holding two lanterns in his hands. Eddie’s smile grows and he goes to sit in front of him, but before accepting them, he opens his leather belt bag and pulls out the crown.

Richie gasps, “You had it with you this whole time?”

Eddie nods, nervous. “I’m sorry I lied to you and I’m sorry I didn’t give it to you before but I was—” He takes a deep breath. “I was afraid, that if I gave it to you, you would—”

“You were afraid I would leave you,” Richie finishes, understanding. “I would have,” he starts, and sees Eddie’s eyes widen, panicked, so he explains, “I would have at first, at the very beginning. Not now. Now it’s going to take a lot more than a crown to drag me away from you, Eds.”

Eddie visibly relaxes and he holds the crown out for Richie to take, but he shakes his head and instead, gives him one of the lanterns.

They lift them up into the sky where they join the rest.

Eddie can’t believe that he is actually here and that this is happening. It doesn’t matter how long he spent picturing it all those years, nothing could have prepared him such a perfect moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Richie smiling at him and he blushes at the attention. For a moment, he lets himself think of what would’ve happened if by some miracle it had been his mother who had brought him here, would it be as perfect of a moment if Richie wasn’t here with him? If the last couple of days hadn’t happened at all? Probably not. He may not have known it then, but Richie being here with him was the one thing Eddie didn’t know he was missing.

One of the lanterns loses height and Eddie balances himself on the edge of the boat to push it up before it touches the water, giggling as he does.

The movement makes the crown that was resting on Eddie’s lap, fall to the floor and it catches Richie’s eye.

For weeks, that crown had been the only thing on his mind, which is why he’s surprised to admit that he hasn’t thought about it since they left ‘The Tickling Clown’. There, Greno had told him his dream of having a castle and being rich was stupid and Richie had to admit, he was right. Right now, he would give up the crown and the castle, he would give up _anything_ if it meant he could stay in this moment with Eddie forever. Eddie, with his big brown eyes, his breathtaking smile, his hair that shines under the stars’ light. Eddie, who in less than two days has become Richie’s new dream, without him even noticing.

He’s never believed in fate but as he sits there with Eddie, as his dream comes true, Richie is convinced that this is where he was always meant to be.

On impulse, Richie grabs Eddie’s hand. It’s not the first time he’s done it, but now it feels different.

“Was it all you’ve ever dreamed of, Eds?” Richie asks, voice soft as not to break the moment.

Eddie grabs Richie’s other hand and holds them in the space between them, “It was more than I could’ve hoped for,” he says, smiling. “Thank you for doing this, Rich.”

“Anything for you, beautiful,” Richie says and he lets go of one of Eddie’s hands to gently tuck a strand of hair behind the boy’s ear. The soft touch sends a shiver down his spine and when Richie’s hand cradles his cheek and he starts to lean in, Eddie’s stomach flutters with butterflies.

They’re only inches apart when they hear the scream that makes them break away.

“Eddie! Eddie bear!”

Eddie’s expression turns panicked and he looks around trying to locate the source of the sound. There is no doubt of who those screeches belong to.

“Is that—”

“My Mother, yes,” Eddie says. He detects movement to his right and turns around to see a figure erupt from the forest, a torch in their hand. Eddie points at the shore, “There! I need to get to her!”

Richie nods. “Say no more,” he says and starts rowing in that direction.

“Eddie bear!” Sonia shrieks, sounding hurt. Eddie’s worry intensifies.

“I’m coming, Ma!”

Richie rows as fast as he can and soon enough they hit the shore and Eddie jumps out of the boat and rushes towards his Mother.

“Ma, are you okay? What’s wrong?” Eddie asks, rolling her over and gasping when he sees her face. She is pale and there are bags under her eyes, her face is full of wrinkles and her black hair is now grey. Eddie has never seen her like this.

“Oh, Eddie bear, you left me!” Sonia sobs, “I came back and you weren’t there, I’ve been so worried, so scared and I think it made me sick, I don’t feel good, Eddie, why would you do this to your mother?”

Eddie’s vision blurs with unshed tears, he can feel the guilt of hurting his Mother settle on him like a heavy weight, making it hard to breathe. “I’m so sorry Ma, I didn’t know. I’ll make it all better, I promise,” he says as he desperately starts undoing his braid and wrapping his hair around his Mother’s frame.

Then Eddie starts to sing and he watches, relieved as his glowing hair brings his mother’s youth and health back. He doesn’t stop singing until her eyes open and they focus on him.

“Mother?” Eddie asks, voice small and afraid.

“My sweet boy,” Sonia says, caressing her son’s face. Then her expression hardens and she grips Eddie’s jaw with her fingers, “How dare you disobey me?”

His eyes widen in fear, “Ma, I’m sorry.”

She stands up, furious. Eddie has never seen her like this. “You’re sorry? What are you sorry for, Edward? Betraying me? Lying to me? Almost killing me? After all I’ve done for you! How could you?”

“Ma, please, let me explain,” Eddie pleads.

“I don’t want to hear another word, we’re going back now. I hope you enjoyed your little adventure because this is the last time you’ll see the outside of the tower,” Sonia says with finality. She grabs Eddie’s hand and starts dragging him towards the forest.

“No, I don’t want to go!” Eddie tries to free himself from her grip but her strength has just been renewed and he can’t, “Let go!”

“Eddie?” He hears Richie calling out for him and he sees him cautiously approaching, after hearing Eddie struggle.

“Richie!”

Sonia sees him as well and she lets out a boisterous bark of laughter when she does. “Oh Eddie, is this him? Is this the reason you left the tower and decided to throw away everything I’ve done for you? All for this, this low-life thief,” she says, with distaste.

Eddie sees Richie flinch at the words, but he gives the woman a sardonic smile and says, “I would say nice to meet you, _lady_ , but I would hate to be a liar on top of being a thief.”

Even with so much tension in the air, Eddie chuckles at that. His mother, on the other hand, glares at Richie.

“You don’t deserve my son,” Sonia says, voice filled with hatred.

Richie nods. “I agree, Eds is too good for me and I don’t know what the fuck he sees in me. But what I do know is that  _you_ don’t deserve him either.”

“You piece of scum!” Sonia spits angrily. She harshly lets go of Eddie and he falls to the ground. “All I’ve ever done is for him, to protect him from the world, from people like you!”

“Including fucking kidnapping him when he was just a baby?”

Eddie’s eyes snap to Richie, confusion written all over his face. Sonia doesn’t look confused, though, the color has drained from her face and she is gawking at the man.

“What are you talking about, Richie?” Eddie asks, his voice weak.

“I think you should ask your Mother, Eddie, or should I say, Prince Eddie?”

“Ma, what is he talking about?”

Sonia doesn’t take her eyes off of Richie, she is glaring at him with passion. “Don’t listen to him, Eddie bear.”

Richie sighs and addresses Eddie, “I’ve had my suspicions since I met you, an eighteen-year-old boy living in a tower hidden in the woods. And then you showed me what your hair could do and I remembered my mother telling me once how before the Prince was born, the Queen had gotten really sick and they had only saved her with a flower that was rumored to have healing powers, powers just like the ones your hair has. And I’ve been in the throne room, I’ve seen the painting of the Lost Prince, same big brown eyes, same golden hair, same rosy cheeks with fucking freckles on them,” Richie says looking at the boy, his expression apologetic. He knows this can’t be easy for him. Then he turns to Sonia and his face changes completely into one of hate and anger, “Eddie is the Lost Prince of Corona, the Queen and the King are his parents and you, you’re just the woman who has been using him for all these years.”

Eddie is feeling lightheaded and there’s a lump in his throat, preventing him from speaking. Part of him believes Richie, after all, what he’s saying makes sense and more importantly, why would Richie make up all of this? But there is also a part of him that’s holding on to what he has believed his entire life, that Sonia is his mother and she would never lie to him.

But Sonia’s expression is no longer one of anger but one of someone who has been caught in a lie.

He feels as if his entire world just came crumbling down.

“Ma?”

“Eddie, dear. You can’t trust people like him, he doesn’t care about you. Not like your Mother does.”

“He cares about me enough to tell me the truth,” Eddie says, hurt evident on his voice, “it  _is_ the truth isn’t it, Mother? Should I even be calling you that anymore?” Eddie has never felt such anger in his life and he can see his mother flinching at his words and the way he is looking at her. “Look me in the eye and tell me I’m not the Lost Prince. Tell me!”

“Eddie bear—”

“Don’t call me that!” Eddie shouts and she snaps her mouth closed. He lets out a humorless laugh, “I can’t believe I’ve lived my entire life being scared of the world when the only thing I should’ve been afraid of was  _you_.”

“I would never hurt you, Eddie,” Sonia says and she is crying, only this time Eddie sees those tears for what they really are, a way to hurt and manipulate him.

It works, and it angers him that even after knowing what he knows, the sight of her crying feels like a stab to the heart. “But you did, you lied to me and you locked me in a tower and you took my life, my family away from me. You— you used me, Ma— shit, I don’t even know what to call you.”

“I love you, Eddie, what can I do? Please,” Sonia begs and she falls to her knees at Eddie’s feet.

It takes everything in Eddie not to break down and forgive her. Instead, he gives her a hard look and says, “Leave.”

Her eyes widen and more tears fall from her eyes. “No, Eddie you don’t want this,” she says, tugging at his hands.

Eddie tries to break free, “I do, I want you to leave and I never want to see you again.”

At this, her expression goes from pleading to furious. She stands up and starts dragging Eddie away. “You ungrateful brat, I’m not giving you up,” she says.

Richie, who had been silent the entire time, decides it’s time to intervene.

He marches towards the pair and grabs Sonia’s shoulder, turning her around, to face him, “Let go of—”

But he’s cut off abruptly by Sonia driving a long knife into his abdomen.

“RICHIE!” Eddie yells, horrified. Sonia retracts the knife and Richie whimpers, falling to the ground, blood oozing from the wound and staining his clothes. “No, no, no, Richie.” Eddie tries to free himself from his mother’s grip to get to him.

Richie grunts, “Eddie… Eds, I—”

“Richie,” Eddie sobs, “I have to— I need to heal him. Please let me heal him.”

“So that he can follow us and drag you away from me again?” Sonia says, “No, it’s better this way. I won’t make the same mistake again, this time no one will ever find you, Eddie bear.”

Richie groans and Eddie can see a pool of blood starting to form under him. He doesn’t have much time.

“Let me go!” Eddie yells, desperate, but his mother twists his arm in response making him gasp in pain.

“Edward enough, stop fighting!”

“No!” Eddie snarls, “I won’t stop! I’ll  _never_ stop fighting you and trying to get away from you!

He turns his back to Richie so that he can face Sonia. He’s breathing heavily and his face is blotchy from crying but he is determined to do anything to save Richie.

“Unless,” Eddie takes a deep breath, “Unless you let me save him. If you let me save Richie, I’ll never fight you again, I’ll go with you,  _Ma_ —”

“Eds no,” Richie grunts.

But Eddie ignores him. “It will be just you and me, forever,” He lets out a shuddering breath, “Just let me heal him, Mother.”

Sonia studies him and with a sigh, she releases Eddie from her grip.

Immediately, Eddie runs to Richie, kneeling next to him on the ground. He places his head on his lap and runs his hand soothingly through Richie’s hair. “I’m so sorry Richie,” he whispers.

“This isn’t your fault, love,” Richie coughs and Eddie panics when he sees there’s blood in his mouth.  

“It is, I made you do this and she only hurt you because of me.” Eddie can feel tears running down his face and he’s having trouble breathing. “None of this would’ve happened if you never met me.”

“Hey, hey,” Richie says, and his voice sounds so fragile. He lifts one of his hands and caresses Eddie’s cheek, “I am glad I met you, Eds, you’re the best fucking thing that has happened to me in a very long time.”

Eddie lets out a sob, “You too, Richie. And don’t worry, I’m going to make it all better, okay?”

Richie shakes his head, “No, no, I can’t—” He winces in pain. “I can’t let you do this.”

“I have to, it’s going to be okay,” Eddie says, wrapping his hair around Richie’s middle.

“No, Eds—”

“You’re going to be okay,” Eddie reassures him, offering Richie a weak smile.

He’s about to start singing when Richie moves. For someone who has an open wound, he’s surprisingly fast as he grabs the same knife he was stabbed with and uses it to cut Eddie’s hair off.

Eddie’s hand goes to his head where his hair is now short and dark and his eyes widen in horrified surprise.

Sonia shrieks, “No! You fool! What did you do?”

She hurriedly grabs Eddie’s hair from the ground and wraps it around her while singing. But she watches, horrified, as it loses its golden color and its magic right in front of her eyes. Immediately, her skins starts to wrinkle and her hair turns gray as all the magic she has used to stay alive and young for the past years is reversed.

She charges towards Eddie and Richie, her intent to hurt them clear on her face but Bill and Stan choose that exact moment to emerge from the line of trees, drawn in by all the screaming.

They don’t know what’s going on but as soon as Bill sees Sonia going for Eddie, he guides Stan so that he collides against her and sends her flying. They stare in shock as she turns to dust with one final screech and when her coat falls to the ground, it’s empty.

The silence that follows is quickly broken by Eddie when his gaze returns to Richie and he mutters, “No, no, no, Richie, what did you do?”

Richie tries to speak, to reassure Eddie that this isn’t his fault, that he did what he had to do and that Eddie will be okay without him, but when he tries, all that comes out is a splutter of blood.

“I’m right here Richie, stay with me, please,” Eddie says, feeling hopeless with no idea what to do and knowing Richie’s time is running out.

“Eds?” Richie whispers, grabbing the boy’s hand.

“Yes?”

“You—you were my new dream.”

“And you were mine,” Eddie sobs.

Richie offers him one last smile before taking a final breath and going limp in Eddie’s arms.  

“No… Richie…”

Eddie lets his head fall on Richie’s chest and he cries, tears staining his shirt.

He hears movement and then feels Bill patting his shoulder comfortingly and Stan’s breathing ruffling his hair.

Not knowing what else to do and refusing to let go of Richie, he starts to sing,

_“Flower, gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine,”_

His voice comes out weak and strained and he is gasping for breath in between words, but he doesn’t stop singing.

_“Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the fate design_

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine”_

“What once was mine,” Eddie finishes weakly, the strength of his sobs wrecking his body and Richie’s, where his face is still burrowed in his chest. “I’m sorry, Richie, I— I love you.”

Eddie keeps his eyes closed, trying to pretend that the man he loves is still alive instead of facing the horrible reality that he’s holding his dead body in his arms.

He only opens them when he can see a light shining behind his eyelids.  

The light is coming from Richie’s chest where Eddie’s tears have fallen. He sees that there’s still blood on his shirt but where there used to be an open wound, now there’s not even a scar.

Before his mind can comprehend what that means, Richie’s voice startles Eddie.

“I told you, you would fall in love with me.”

“Richie!” Eddie laughs, giddily. He tackles him with a hug that sends them both to the ground. Richie’s arms go all the way around Eddie’s small frame, while Eddie’s arms wrap around his shoulders and he borrows his face in his neck, nuzzling at it.

“Go easy on me, Eds. I just came back from the dead,” Richie chuckles, sitting up without letting go of Eddie.

Bill joins in, climbing to Eddie’s shoulder and patting Richie’s head. Stan nuzzles Eddie’s hair and sighs happily. The four of them stay like that for a while before breaking apart.

Bill and Stan move away but Richie and Eddie stay close together, looking at each other, eyes bright with tears and big smiles on their faces.

Until Richie’s expression turns confused, then mortified. “Fuck! I’m blind!” Richie exclaims when he can’t see Eddie even if he is only inches apart, “That’s the price to pay, isn’t it? I come back from the dead and now I’m blind!”

“Richie—”

“I’d rather die than not being able to look at you ever again, Eds!”

“Richie! You’re not blind, your glasses just fell off,” Eddie says, suppressing a laugh. He picks them up from where they must have fallen somewhere between Richie coming back to life and Eddie tackling him.

Eddie places the glasses back on Richie’s face and he blinks repeatedly, trying to adjust to being able to see again.

He beams at Eddie. “Ah! There you are! This hair makes you look even cuter,” he says, tucking a strand of brown hair behind Eddie’s ear, but it’s too short to stay there. “I can get behind this new look, I’ve always had a thing for brunettes.”

Eddie rolls his eyes but doesn’t even try to stifle the laughter that bubbles up inside him. His heart is close to bursting from emotion at having Richie back with him. In a moment of courage, he grabs Richie by the lapels of his vest and kisses him soundly on the mouth.

Richie is caught off guard by the kiss, but it doesn’t take long for his addled brain to get with the program and kiss Eddie back with as much enthusiasm, cradling the boy’s face in his hands and pulling him even closer.

They can hear Stan’s neigh and Bill’s squeal and it makes Eddie giggle, he breaks the kiss and smiles at Richie, feeling happier than he ever felt before.

Richie’s expression tells the same story. He holds Eddie’s face gently and smiles affectionately at him.

“You were really brave, Eds.”

Eddie snorts, “Me? Brave? I didn’t do anything, you, on the other hand, stood up to my mother and got stabbed in the process.”

“Even I have to admit that wasn’t brave, only stupid. You,” Richie shakes his head in disbelief, “you were willing to give up your freedom to save me.  _That_ was brave.”

“I wasn’t trying to be brave,” Eddie tells him and then he lowers his gaze, “I did it because I couldn’t lose you because I love you.”

“The bravest things we do, we do them out of love,” Richie says and before Eddie can question if that is something his mother used to say, Richie speaks again, “And, Eds?” He hums in acknowledgment but Richie doesn’t speak until he has lifted Eddie’s chin and locked eyes with him, “I love you too.”

A huge smile appears on Eddie’s face and for the second time that night, he kisses Richie while the darkness of the night swallows the last of the floating lanterns.

Floating lanterns that Eddie now knows are for him.

 

*          *          *

 

After the events of the night before, Eddie doesn’t think he could feel afraid ever again.

Yet here he was, feeling as if everything that had happened the last couple of days has finally caught up with him and is set on driving him straight into a panic attack.

Last night, after Richie had returned from the dead, Stan had taken them back to the town where they had gotten Richie new clothes, with no bloodstains on them.

Then, they headed straight for the castle.

Convincing the guards at the entrance not to arrest Richie had been difficult, even with the Captain’s horse help, but when they told them the reason why they were here, they had forgotten about Richie and escorted Eddie to the throne room immediately.

That’s where they currently were, Richie, Eddie, and Bill. The guards had left them to go get the King and Queen after warning Richie that if  _anything_ went missing, they would throw him into a cell faster than he could say ‘Stop’.

Less than a couple of minutes had passed but Eddie feels as if they have been waiting for an eternity. He is wringing his fingers together and bouncing on his toes so much that Bill abandoned his shoulder in favor of sitting on Richie’s still one.

“Eds, sunshine, you need to stop that,” Richie says, grabbing Eddie’s hands in his, “There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

Eddie gapes at him, “Nothing to be— are you crazy? I’m about to meet my parents; my real parents who I didn’t know existed until yesterday. What if—what if they don’t recognize me? Or if they don’t like me? What if—”

“Eddie they’re your parents, of course, they will recognize you! They have been waiting for you for eighteen years!” Richie reassures him.

But Eddie looks unconvinced, still biting his lip nervously.

Richie sighs. “You have nothing to worry about. They’ll love you the moment they meet you, I would know,” he says with a wink.

Eddie rolls his eyes, but the corners of his mouth curl up in a smile and some of the tension leaves his shoulders.

But as soon as the doors open, it comes back.

Eddie’s eyes widen and he sees Bill turn blue like Richie’s vest and hide behind him. He lets go of Richie’s hand and turns to face the door, where the King and Queen have just entered the room.

Eddie recognizes them immediately. There’s a portrait of them, him included, in that very same room after all, but it goes deeper than that. He feels something tug at his heart and he finds himself walking towards them.

The King and Queen are both staring at Eddie in bewilderment. The Queen takes a couple of steps closer to Eddie, slowly, as if scared to move too fast and scare him off. They meet in the middle and she lifts her hand and lightly touches his face, Eddie goes to say something but before he can even think what to say, she pulls him in for a hug.

Eddie feels the weight lift from his shoulders and he wraps his arms around his mother’s waist, burrowing his face in her neck. The smell of her perfume brings distant memories back to him and he hugs her tighter.

“It’s you,” she says in disbelief. Eddie nods, still wrapped around her. “You came back. My boy,” she laughs, relieved. Eddie doesn’t know he is crying until she gently strokes his hair and murmurs, soothingly, “It’s okay, you’re home now.”

He doesn’t know how long he’s been there, tucked in his mother’s embrace when he feels another pair of arms go around them both and squeeze them closer together. He lifts his head and finds his father smiling down at him, eyes shining with tears.

Eddie laughs, delighted at having reunited with his family.

He hears a sigh that doesn’t come from him or his parents and then, “See that froggy, I did this, I brought them together, me and my intelligence.”

Eddie snorts and he can’t even be mad that Richie’s mouth is the reason his parents stop hugging him. They don’t go far though, his mother grabs his hand and his father has an arm around his shoulders.

They turn to look at Richie, who’s smiling smugly at them; Bill still perched on his shoulder.

The Queen hums and tilts her head, pensively. “I feel like I’ve seen you before,” she tells him.

Richie smirks mischievously and Eddie’s eyes widen when he opens his mouth to speak, only he can’t intervene fast enough.

“I’m sure you have, in your dreams,” Richie winks.

The Queen gasps and Eddie stares at Richie in astonishment.

He feels the King tense up and he’s prepared for him to call the guards and have them throw Richie in a cell. Richie must be thinking the same because he cringes and stutters out an apology, “Uh, I’m sorry your Majesties, I didn’t mean to—”

But to both of their surprise, the King lets out a loud, boisterous laugh.

He approaches Richie, who is looking up at him in incredulously. He towers over Richie, his broad shoulders making him look even bigger, and he flinches when the King places his hands on his shoulders and squeezes them.

“Thank you, for returning the kingdom its prince. But more importantly, thank you for returning our son to us,” the King says and then he’s hugging Richie.

Richie smiles nervously, “Uh, of course, sir, I mean, your Majesty. I’m Richie, Richie Tozier, at your service,” he says and bows awkwardly.

The Queen moves toward them, dragging Eddie with her.

“I know who you are,” she says, “you stole the prince’s, my son’s, crown.”

Richie’s eyes widen, panicked.

Eddie intervenes, “Please don’t be angry at him, Mother, he has done more good than harm,” he tells her. Then, looking directly at Richie, he adds, “Without him, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m not angry, dear,” she tells Eddie with a smile, she turns to Richie, “Consider your crimes pardoned. You gave me back my son and he’s worth much more than a crown.”

That makes Richie smile and look at Eddie, face filled with love, “He’s worth much more than a thousand crowns.”

Eddie can feel himself blush, especially when both of his parents look between him and Richie, intrigued.

“Yes, he is,” she says, “Eddie, dear, your father and I were about to have our breakfast when we were told to come here, would you like to join us? I believe there is much to be told, it’s been eighteen years after all,” she is smiling but her voice cracks as she thinks about how much of her son’s life they have missed.

Eddie nods enthusiastically, “I would love to.”

His father smiles, for a man so big and powerful, he has a gentle face and an even gentler smile. “You are welcome to join us, Richard,” he says.

Eddie sees Richie flinch at being called by his full name but he doesn’t let it show. Instead, he grins, “I would be honored, your Highness, but I don’t want to intrude, you have a lot to catch up on.”

“Are you sure, Rich?”

Richie nods, “I’ll find a way to keep myself occupied, I might pay Captain Hanlon a visit just to see the look on his face when I tell him I’ve been pardoned by the Queen herself.”

Eddie shakes his head fondly, “Try to stay out of trouble, please. And don’t steal anything.”

“There’s no need for that, I already have everything I need.”

“And what is that?”

“You,” Richie says, and smirks at Eddie, “the cutest, bravest boy in the entire kingdom.”

Eddie rolls his eyes but he is swooning inside. He steps on his tiptoes and gives Richie a chaste kiss on the mouth. Bill, who is still on Richie’s shoulder, covers his eyes and pretends to gag but they ignore him.

“I’ll find you afterward,” Eddie says.

Richie nods, “Don’t rush, love.” He enjoys the way the name makes Eddie blush adorably. “Go be with your parents.”

With a final smile to Richie, Eddie turns and joins his parents by the big double doors of the throne room.

Richie stares at him as he goes, a big loving smile on his face that he hasn’t been able to shake off since coming back from the dead, although he suspects it was already there long before that. He doesn’t notice he’s still staring wistfully at where Eddie disappeared until he feels something wet inside his ear.

He flails and sends Bill toppling to the floor. He is smirking at Richie.

“Was that really necessary?” Richie asks and the chameleon shrugs. He shakes his head. “Come on, Billy, let’s go play dear Captain Michael and Stan a visit.”

Richie grabs the small animal and heads for the door.

 

*          *          *

 

News of the Lost Prince finally coming home after all these years travels fast through the kingdom.

Less than a couple of hours later the plaza in front of the castle is filled with people carrying presents and flowers and big smiles to welcome their prince. And when Eddie walks out to greet all of these people, his subjects, he makes sure Richie is right there, next to him and his parents.

Eddie can’t remember the how many flowers he was given, or how many hands he had to shake or how many children’s foreheads he was asked to kiss. All he remembers is feeling happier and the most loved he has ever felt in his life.

Especially when he saw that all the love wasn’t directed only at him or his parents, whom Eddie came to realize were very well loved by the people of Corona. No, it was also directed at the man who brought him back—and no one was as surprised by that as Richie Tozier himself.

When Eddie had dragged him along, Richie figured he could stay in the back while everyone crowded around the boy, he never imagined there would be people that would want to meet and talk to him too.

There were people asking to shake his hand, children eager for him to pick them up and place them on his shoulder and a couple of girls, and a few boys, giving him flowers and baked goods and flirty smiles.

Richie tries but fails to remember the last time he was given so many hugs, it was probably before his mother died and he is happy that he gets to feel this way again after such a long time.

Richie tries to tell Eddie that same thing at one point but the only thing he manages to do is to catch Eddie’s eye over the crowd and wink at him, in response, Eddie sticks his tongue out at him, his eyes shining with fondness. After that, Richie loses sight of Eddie in the growing crowd and they aren’t able to find each other again until later that day when they make it back to the castle.

Once there, Richie joins Eddie and his parents for dinner.

The fact that the King and Queen already heard Eddie’s side of the events doesn’t stop Richie from telling them everything from his perspective.

“And then your son hit me in the head with a frying pan—”

“I had to stop you from leaving!”

“I still saved him from the toughest, most dangerous crowd of criminals—”

“Excuse me,  _I_ saved  _you_!”

“—and he confessed his undying love for me.”

“You weren’t supposed to hear that!”

It takes Richie a while to finish the story with Eddie interrupting him every few minutes but the King and Queen listen patiently and laugh at the way the two of them act with each other as if they had spent not days, but years together.

Afterward, they excuse themselves and decide to go for a walk. It had been a crazy day and it was the first time since the night before that the two of them were completely alone. They didn’t talk much though, not until they found themselves at a balcony in the castle that overlooked the entire kingdom.

Eddie is having a hard time believing that one day he is supposed to rule over all of this, when less than three days ago, he believed his life would always be restricted to the tower and the only person he would ever have to worry about was his mother, well, Sonia.

Thinking about her and about how he is not ready to take over for his parents one day, overwhelms him and he tenses up.

Richie who had grown tired of the view and was looking at Eddie instead notices his change in demeanor.

“You okay there, beautiful?”

Richie’s voice snaps Eddie out of his thoughts. “I guess the last couple of days are finally catching up with me,” he chuckles.

“Fucking crazy couple of days, huh?”

“The craziest,” Eddie says and turns to look at Richie and finds him staring at him, nervously. Eddie can tell he wants to say something, so he smiles encouragingly at him and waits.

Finally, Richie takes a deep breath and speaks.

“Uh, I wanted to give you something,” Richie says, nervous. Eddie observes curiously as his hands go to the back of his neck and he takes off a golden chain. From it, hangs a golden ring and it sparkles as the moonlight falls on it. It reminds Eddie of the first time he and Richie saw each other, how the crown he had stolen had sparkled from the sunlight, catching Eddie’s eye. It gets him thinking.

“Rich, please tell me you didn’t steal that ring,” Eddie says, with a grimace. “I know my mother said your crimes were pardoned but that doesn’t mean you can go around stealing—”

Richie cuts him off, amused, “I didn’t steal anything, Eds. It’s mine. Well, it was my mother’s. It’s all I have left from her. She gave it to me before she died.”

“Oh,” Eddie says with a cringe, then he smiles in apology, “I’m sorry.”

Richie chuckles, “I want to be angry that you assumed I stole it but I can’t blame you.” Then his expression turns serious and he wrings the chain in his hands. “I want you to have it. The ring.”

Eddie draws in a surprised breath. “Richie, I can’t accept it, it was your mother’s and—”

“And,” Richie interrupts him, “When she gave it to me she said that I should give it to someone special, which is exactly what I’m doing.”

Eddie blushes when Richie winks at him and takes his hand. “I guess I can’t say no to that.”

Richie smiles and pries the ring from the chain. He is placing it on Eddie’s finger when he says, “Actually, her exact words were ‘One day you will meet someone special and you will want to marry them. Give them this ring and—”

Eddie’s eyes widen and a surprised squeal leaves his mouth. He starts rambling “Wait, you’re asking me to  _marry_ you? We can’t do that, Richie, we barely know each other and I love you, I do, but I just became a prince, I can’t get married now, I—”

“Eddie, darling, slow down,” Richie says, “I’m not asking you to marry me.”

The boy blinks up at him. “You’re not?” He is torn between relieved and disappointed and Richie notices.  

“Not yet at least,” Richie winks, making Eddie blush again. “If my mother was alive, I would already be dragging you to meet her and I would talk her ear off telling her about you. She would have loved you. And she would have loved that I gave you this ring. That being said, you don’t have to take it if you don’t want—”

“I want to,” Eddie says, cutting him off this time and nods assuringly. “I’m sorry I freaked out.”

“Don’t worry, Eds, that’s kind of your thing.”

Eddie snorts. “It’s not. And don’t call me that,” he mutters, narrowing his eyebrows at Richie, who chuckles and slides the ring on Eddie’s finger. Then he intertwines their fingers together.

Richie is staring at their joined hands and the ring shining in Eddie’s fingers when he frowns. “Was the idea of marrying me so horrible that you freaked out so bad?”

Eddie gasps and hurriedly shakes his head. “No! I mean, I freaked out at the suddenness of it all, not the thought of marrying you.”

A smirk appears on Richie’s face. “So you  _would_ marry me?” He asks, waggling his eyebrows ridiculously.

Eddie rolls his eyes at him but fails to keep the smile off his face, proving he is only messing around when he says, “In your dreams, Tozier.”

And Richie, knowing this as well, just laughs and says, “Oh, but Eddie, if our story has taught us anything, its that dreams _do_ come true.”

Then Richie is kissing Eddie’s fingers and turning them around so they can stare at the kingdom they will one day, rule over.

That is, until their own children—yes, their children. Sweet princes and princesses, they will father in the future—take over for them and Richie and Eddie retire to live the rest of their days with each other, happy and in love, never to worry again about dreams, because as long as they’re together, reality is better than any dream either of them could ever have.

 

**THE END**

 

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr: jem-carstairs-is-perfection](http://jem-carstairs-is-perfection.tumblr.com)
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> I hope everyone enjoyed reading this. I know I had a great time while writing it! Thank you Shannon, for including me in this wonderful project and for beta reading this story!  
> Leave a comment or come find me on tumblr and tell me what your favorite part was, your favorite character, anything you want to tell me! I'd love to hear what everyone thinks!  
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